JOURNAL 


Academy  of  Natural  Sciences 


OF 


PHILADELPHIA 


SECOND  SERIES,  VOLUME  XVI. 

PART  1 


PHILADELPHIA: 

PUBLISHED  BY  THE  ACADEMY 


COMMITTEE  ON  PUBLICATION 


Henry  Skinner,  M.D.,  Sc.D.  Witmer  Stone,  A.M.,  Sc.D. 

Henry  A.  Pilsbry,  Sc.D.  William  J.  Fox 

Edward  J.  Nolan,  M.D. 

Ex-Officio:  Hon.  Samuel  Gibson  Dixon,  M.D.,  LL.D.,  President 
EDITOR:  EDWARD  J.  NOLAN,  M.D. 


1 


WRITINGS  OF  ARCHAEOLOGY. 

By  Clarence  B.  Moore. 

Certain  Shell  Heaps  of  the  St.  Johns  River,  Florida,  hitherto  unexplored.  The  American  Naturalist,  Nov.,  1892, 
to  Jany.,  1894,  inclusive.  Five  papers  with  illustrations  in  text,  and  maps. 

Certain  Sand  Mounds  of  the  St.  Johns  River,  Florida,  Parts  I and  II.  Journal  of  the  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences 
of  Philadelphia,  Philadelphia,  1894.  Vol.  X.  Quarto,  130  and  123  pages.  Frontispieces,  maps,  plates, 
illustrations  in  the  text. 

Certain  Sand  Mounds  of  Duval  County,  Florida;  Two  Mounds  on  Murphy  Island,  Florida;  Certain  Sand  Mounds 
of  the  Ocklawaha  River,  Florida.  Journ.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  of  Phila.,  1895.  Vol.  X.  Quarto,  108  pages. 
Frontispiece,  maps,  plates,  illustrations  in  text. 

Additional  Mounds  of  Duval  and  of  Clay  Counties,  Florida;  Mound  Investigation  on  the  East  Coast  of  Florida; 
Certain  Florida  Coast  Mounds  north  of  the  St.  Johns  River.  Privately  printed,  Philadelphia,  1896.  Quarto, 
30  pages.  Map,  plates,  illustrations  in  text. 

Certain  Aboriginal  Mounds  of  the  Georgia  Coast.  Journ.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  of  Phila.,  1897.  Vol.  XI.  Quarto, 
144  pages.  Frontispiece,  map,  plates,  illustrations  in  text. 

Certain  Aboriginal  Mounds  of  the  Coast  of  South  Carolina;  Certain  Aboriginal  Mounds  of  the  Savannah  River; 
Certain  Aboriginal  Mounds  of  the  Altamaha  River;  Recent  Acquisitions;  A Cache  of  Pendent  Ornaments. 
Journ.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  of  Phila.,  1898.  Vol.  XI.  Quarto,  48  pages.  Front ispiece,  maps,  illustrations 
in  text. 

Certain  Aboriginal  Remains  of  the  Alabama  River.  Journ.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  of  Phila.,  1899.  Vol.  XI.  Quarto, 
62  pages.  Map,  illustrations  in  text. 

Certain  Antiquities  of  the  Florida  West-Coast.  Journ.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  of  Phila.,  1900.  Vol.  XI.  Quarto,  46 
pages.  Maps,  illustrations  in  text. 

Certain  Aboriginal  Remains  of  the  Northwest  Florida  Coast,  Part  I;  Certain  Aboriginal  Remains  of  the  Tombigbee 
River.  Journ.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  of  Phila.,  1901.  Vol.  XI.  Quarto,  100  pages.  Maps,  illustrations  in  text. 
Certain  Aboriginal  Remains  of  the  Northwest  Florida  Coast,  Part  II.  Journ.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  of  Phila.,  1902. 

Vol.  XII.  Quarto,  235  pages.  Maps,  illustrations  in  text. 

Certain  Aboriginal  Mounds  of  the  Central  Florida  West-Coast;  Certain  Aboriginal  Mounds  of  the  Apalachicola 
River.  Journ.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  of  Phila.,  1903.  Vol.  XII.  Quarto,  136  pages.  Maps,  illustrations  in  text. 
Sheet-copper  from  the  Mounds  is  not  Necessarily  of  European  Origin.  American  Anthropologist,  Jan. -March, 
1903.  Plates  in  text. 

The  So-called  “Hoe-shaped  Implement.”  American  Anthropologist,  July-Sept.,  1903.  Illustrations  in  text. 
Aboriginal  Urn-burial  in  the  United  States.  American  Anthropologist,  Oct  .-Dec.,  1904.  Plate. 

A Form  of  Urn-burial  on  Mobile  Bay.  American  Anthropologist,  Jan. -March,  1905. 

Certain  Aboriginal  Remains  of  the  Black  Warrior  River  [Moundville];  Certain  Aboriginal  Remains  of  the  Lower 
Tombigbee  River;  Certain  Aboriginal  Remains  of  Mobile  Bay  and  Mississippi  Sound;  Miscellaneous  In- 
vestigation in  Florida.  Journ.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  of  Phila.,  1905.  Vol.  XIII.  Quarto,  206  pages.  Maps, 
illustrations  in  text. 

Moundville  Revisited;  Crystal  River  Revisited;  Mounds  of  the  Lower  Chattahoochee  and  Lower  Flint  Rivers; 
Notes  on  the  Ten  Thousand  Islands,  Florida.  Journ.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  of  Phila.,  1907.  Vol.  XIII.  Quarto, 
144  pages.  Maps,  illustrations  in  text. 

Certain  Mounds  of  Arkansas  and  of  Mississippi  (including  Doctor  Ilrdlicka’s  paper  on  the  Crania).  Journ. 
Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  of  Phila.,  1908.  Vol.  XIII.  Quarto,  130  pages.  Maps,  illustrations  in  text,  eight  colored 
plates. 

Antiquities  of  the  Ouachita  Valley.  Journ.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  of  Phila.,  1909.  Vol.  XIV.  Quarto,  170  pages. 
Maps,  illustrations  in  text,  eight  colored  plates.  (In  addition  in  this  number  is  Doctor  Hrdlicka’s  paper  on 
the  skeletal  remains.) 

Antiquities  of  the  St.  Francis,  White,  and  Black  Rivers.  Journ.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  of  Phila.,  1910.  Vol.  XIV. 

Quarto,  112  pages.  Maps,  illustrations  in  text,  twenty  colored  plates. 

Some  Aboriginal  Sites  on  Mississippi  River.  Journ.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  of  Phila.,  1911.  Vol.  XIV.  Quarto,  116 
pages.  Map,  illustrations  in  text,  eight  colored  plates. 

Some  Aboriginal  Sites  on  Red  River.  Journ.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  of  Phila.,  1912.  Vol.  XIV.  Quarto,  163  pages. 
Map,  plans,  illustrations  in  text,  eight  colored  plates. 


Some  Aboriginal  Sites  in  Louisiana  and  in 

Arkansas 

Atchafalaya  River,  Lake  Larto,  Tensas  River,  Bayou  Macon,  Bayou  D’Arbonne, 
in  Louisiana;  Saline  River,  in  Arkansas 


BY 

CLARENCE  B.  MOORE 


A Report  on  a Collection  of  Crania  and  Bones  from  Sorrel 
Bayou,  Iberville  Parish,  Louisiana 


RY 

DR.  A.  HRDLICKA 

Curator,  Division  of  Physical  Anthropology,  United  States  National  Museum 


PHILADELPHIA 

1913 


SOME  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


(Atchafalaya  River,  Lake  Larto,  Tensas  River,  Bayou  Maqon,  Bayou 
D’Arbonne,  in  Louisiana;  Saline  River,  in  Arkansas.) 

By  Clarence  B.  Moore. 


Introduction. 

Our  archaeological  investigation,  this  season,  occupied  parts  of  November 
and  December,  1912.  of  January  and  April,  1913,  and  all  February  and  March, 
1913,  one  hundred  and  thirty  days  in  all,  and  embraced  portions  of  Atchafalaya 
river,  of  Lake  Larto,  of  Tensas  river,  of  Bayou  Ma^on,  of  Bayou  D’Arbonne, 
all  in  the  state  of  Louisiana,  and  a portion  of  Saline  river,  in  the  state  of  Arkansas. 

The  investigation  of  these  regions,  which  hitherto,  in  the  main,  were  unknown 
from  an  archaeological  point  of  view,  proved  rather  an  unproductive  task.  This 
result  was  not  unexpected,  as  our  agents,  who  had  conducted  a search  in  advance, 
had  reported  unfavorably  on  nearly  all  the  various  localities,  and  as,  in  ad- 
dition, we  fully  realized  that  unsatisfactory  conditions  would,  of  necessity,  be 
imposed  upon  us  in  this  territory,  most  of  which  is  subject  to  overflow,  where 
the  destruction  or  the  impairment  of  mounds  is  not  permissible.  Nevertheless, 
these  various  localities  seemed  to  call  for  investigation  owing  to  their  geo- 
graphical relation  to  our  former  work. 

As  we  have  had  occasion  to  explain  in  earlier  reports,  our  investigation  is 
accomplished  by  the  use  of  a steamer  of  light  draught  as  headquarters,  in  which 
men  and  material  readily  can  be  transported.  The  use  of  a steamer  in  this 
connection,  however,  is  open  to  serious  objection,  since  one’s  effort  is  limited 
to  navigable  water;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  a far  greater  amount  of  work  can  be 
accomplished  in  this  way,  and  this  is  of  vital  importance  since,  in  the  United 
States,  aboriginal  remains  are  constantly  being  destroyed,  and  with  deplorable 
speed,  by  treasure-seekers,  relic-sellers,  and  by  cultivation,  while  the  number 
of  those  engaged  in  legitimate  research  in  the  field  is  very  limited. 

In  order  still  further  to  facilitate  the  work,  it  is  our  invariable  custom  to 
have  such  territory  as  seems  to  offer  opportunities  for  investigation,  visited  in 
advance,  in  order  that,  if  a favorable  decision  as  to  its  desirability  is  reached, 
the  location  of  mounds  and  cemeteries  may  lie  determined  and  permission  to 
investigate  may  be  obtained. 

The  regions  investigated  by  us  this  year  had  been  carefully  searched  and 
reported  on  in  part  by  Capt.  J.  S.  Raybon,  and  partly  by  Capt.  W.  D.  Platt, 
who,  as  a rule,  with  companions,  visited  all  the  localities  in  small  boats  in  summer 
seasons,  making  careful  inquiries  as  they  went. 


ISI3 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


9 


Both  these  gentlemen  had  been  with  us  in  some  of  our  investigations  and 
were  fully  conversant  with  the  nature  of  our  work.  Captain  Platt  subsequently 
commanded  our  steamer  throughout  the  season. 

Dr.  M.  G.  Miller,  this  season,  accompanied  the  expedition  as  anatomist, 
as  has  been  the  case  in  all  our  previous  archaeological  investigations,  and  has  aided 
in  putting  this  report  through  the  press. 

Mr.  S.  G.  Weir  was  present  as  assistant  for  the  third  time  and  aided  the 
expedition  in  various  ways. 

The  thanks  of  the  Academy  are  tendered:  Dr.  Ales  Hrdlicka  for  his  paper 
on  the  crania  discovered  by  the  expedition,1  which  appears  at  the  end  of  this 
report;  Prof.  F.  A.  Lucas  for  determination  as  to  bones  of  lower  animals ; Dr.  H. 
A.  Pilsbry  for  identification  of  shells;  Mr.  F.  J.  Keeley  for  determination  of 
minerals  and  of  rocks;  Dr.  H.  F.  Keller  for  chemical  tests;  Miss  H.  N.  Wardle  for 
aid  with  the  index;  and  Mr.  F.  W.  Hodge  for  literary  revision  of  the  report. 

The  Academy  also  warmly  thanks  all  owners  of  properties  who  so  courte- 
ously placed  them  at  its  disposal  for  investigation,  and  wishes  to  assure  them  that 
their  kindness  is  most  thoroughly  appreciated. 

All  sites  are  described  in  order  ascending  streams  or  lakes,  though  the  in- 
vestigation was  not  always  made  in  this  way. 

ATCHAFALAYA  RIVER.  LOUISIANA. 

Atchafalaya  river,  in  reality  a continuation  of  Red  river,  leaves  that  stream 
eight  miles2  by  water  from  where  such  waters  of  Red  river  as  have  not  been 
diverted  by  the  Atchafalaya,  enter  the  Mississippi. 

The  Atchafalaya,  after  leaving  Red  river,  follows  a course  southeasterly 
in  the  main,  through  the  lower  eastern  part  of  that  portion  of  the  state  of  Louisi- 
ana that  lies  west  of  the  Mississippi,  and  passing  through  part  of  the  maze  of 
lakes,  bayous,  and  waterways  found  in  that  region,  ultimately  enters  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico.  In  following  this  course,  Atchafalaya  river,  at  Butte  La  Rose, 
spreads  into  a swampy  region  intersected  with  bayous  and  lakes,  and  the  name 
of  the  river  temporarily  is  dropped,  Upper  Grand  river  and  Grand  river  being 
usually  considered  as  continuations  of  the  Atchafalaya.  The  stream,  however, 
comes  together  a few  miles  above  Morgan  City,  and  the  name  Atchafalaya  is 
resumed,  continuing  on  to  the  Gulf. 

Atchafalaya  river  (under  its  various  names)  was  searched  in  our  behalf 
previous  to  our  expedition  by  ('apt.  J.  S.  Raybon  and  a companion,  from  its 
junction  with  Red  river  to  Morgan  City,  148  miles  by  water.3  In  addition, 

1 Only  seventeen  crania  were  discovered,  this  season,  in  a condition  to  preserve.  Sixteen 
of  these  came  from  the  mound  on  Sorrel  Bayou,  in  the  Atchafalaya  region,  Louisiana,  and  one 
from  a mound  on  Saline  river,  Arkansas. 

2 These  eight  miles  are  given  the  name  Old  river  on  some  maps. 

3 All  distances  by  water,  of  any  importance,  given  in  this  report,  are  measured  miles  from 
United  States  Government  maps. 


10  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


Captain  Ravbon’s  search  included  many  lakes  and  bayous  connected  with  the 
river.  No  investigation  was  made  by  him  of  that  part  of  Atchafalaya  river 
below  Morgan  City,  which  flows  mainly  through  marsh. 

Our  own  investigation  included  all  the  river  traversed  by  Captain  Ravbon, 
with  the  exception  of  several  collateral  sites,  whose  omission  will  be  explained 
later  in  our  account. 

The  Atchafalaya  region  is  low-lying  in  the  main,  and  inhabitants  in  parts 
of  it,  from  whom  inquiries  can  be  made,  arc  few.  Consequently  numerous  sites, 
no  doubt,  remain  unlocated,  though  such  as  were  found  most  likely  were  rep- 
resentative. 

In  this  region  burials  in  mounds  were  numerous,  but  the  custom  to  inter 
artifacts  with  the  dead  apparently  was  not  practised. 

Sites  Investigated. 

On  the  Miller  Place,  Assumption  Parish.1 

On  Bonnet  Bayou,  Assumption  Parish. 

On  Little  Pigeon  Bayou,  Iberia  Parish. 

On  Sorrel  Bayou,  Iberville  Parish. 

Near  the  Schwing  Place,  Iberville  Parish. 

Opposite  Pigeon  Bayou,  Iberville  Parish. 

On  Lake  La  Rose,  St.  Martin  Parish. 

On  Bayou  La  Rose,  St.  Martin  Parish. 

On  the  Wilbert  property,  Iberville  Parish. 

On  Bayou  Grosse  Tote,  Iberville  Parish. 

On  Alabama  Bayou,  Iberville  Parish. 

Near  Melville,  St.  Landry  Parish. 

Mounds  on  Lake  Verret,  Assumption  Parish. 

At  the  lower  end  of  Lake  Verret  are  two  mounds  on  property  of  Mr.  Octave 
Delaune,  reported  by  our  agent  who  visited  them,  to  be  each  about  6 feet  in 
height  and  60  and  40  feet  in  diameter,  respectively. 

Although  permission  had  been  obtained  to  investigate  these  mounds,  an 
approaching  flood  made  it  inadvisable  to  do  so. 

Mound  on  the  Miller  Place,  Assumption  Parish. 

This  mound,  or  ridge,  more  correctly  speaking,  borders  Grand  river,  on 
property  of  Mr.  C.  P.  Miller,  who  resides  on  it.  The  ridge,  which  has  great 
irregularity  of  surface,  is  about  40  paces  in  width.  Its  length  is  hard  to  determine, 
as  it  extends  some  distance  at  one  end  almost  at  the  level  of  the  surrounding 
ground.  Roughly  speaking,  it  may  be  said  to  be  250  yards  long.  Its  maximum 
height,  measured  from  the  outside,  is  4 feet  8 inches,  but  a trial-hole  put  down  at 
this  place  did  not  reach  undisturbed  clay  until  7.5  feet  had  been  penetrated. 

1 Such  divisions  of  the  commonwealth  as  arc  termed  counties  in  other  states  of  the  union 
are  known  as  parishes  in  the  state  of  Louisiana. 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS.  11 

As  this  ridge  was  under  cultivation  at  the  time  of  our  visit,  and  as  its  position 
above  the  surrounding  level  made  any  considerable  digging  in  it  undesirable, 
in  view  of  the  oncoming  flood  (April,  1913),  we  were  restricted  in  our  research. 
Various  trial-holes  showed  the  ridge,  so  far  as  we  could  determine,  to  be  differently 
composed.  Presumably,  when  of  much  less  extent,  the  ridge,  made  up  of  midden 
material,  including  many  broken  shells,  mostly  Rangia  cuneata  (a  clam),  had 
been  enlarged  by  the  addition  of  clay.  Consequently  one  had  to  dig  but  a short 
distance  down  in  what  had  been  the  original  ridge  to  reach  the  midden  debris, 
while  where  the  slopes  had  been  and  quantities  of  clay  had  been  added  to  bring 
them  to  a general  level,  it  was  necessary  to  dig  for  several  feet  through  clay  before 
reaching  the  midden  debris  of  the  original  slope. 

Over  the  surface  of  the  ridge  lay  shells,  mostly  in  fragments.  According 
to  Mr.  Miller,  the  owner  of  the  place,  much  of  the  ridge,  until  recently,  had  been 
covered  with  a mass  of  these  shells,  which,  later,  had  been  towed  away  in 
barges  to  pave  the  town  of  Franklin  on  Bayou  Teche.  Mr.  Miller  said  also 
that,  when  cultivating  the  ridge,  many  human  bones  had  been  plowed  up,  and 
in  point  of  fact  in  all  directions  could  be  seen  on  the  surface  fragments  of  such 
bones.  According  to  Mr.  Miller,  no  artifacts  had  been  found  with  the  bones. 

Several  of  our  trial-holes  came  upon  inconsiderable  parts  of  skeletons, 
greatly  scattered,  which  presumably  were  disturbances. 

One  trial-hole,  that  made  in  the  highest  part  of  the  ridge,  reached  the  upper 
surface  of  a burial  at  a depth  of  14  inches.  This  burial  was  a deposit  of  bones, 
including  one  skull.  In  the  same  hole,  5.5  feet  down,  a skeleton  of  a young 
child  was  reached,  with  which  was  part  of  the  skeleton  of  an  adult,  in  anatomical 
order,  of  which  the  skull,  and  the  bones  of  the  arms  and  of  the  lower  extremities 
below  the  knees,  were  missing. 

On  the  surface  of  the  ridge  were  found:  various  fragments  of  pottery,  some 
marked  with  the  imprint  of  a wooden  stamp,1  of  a kind  shown  in  Fig.  1 ; an 


Fig.  1. — Fragments  of  earthenware  with  stamped  decoration.  (Full  size.) 


1 We  forwarded  a fragment  selected  from  a number  bearing  this  decoration,  from  this  region, 
to  Prof.  William  H.  Holmes,  who  kindly  writes  of  it  as  follows: 


12  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


arrowhead  of  red  Hint,  slightly  more  than  .5  inch  in  length,  being  a Hake  worked 
on  one  side  only.  There  was  picked  up  also  an  object  of  earthenware  belonging 
to  a class  shown  in  Plate  II.  These  objects,  hitherto  unreported,  were  found  by 
us  in  various  sites  in  Louisiana  and  will  be  fully  described  later  in  this  report. 

Mounds  on  Bonnet  Bayou,  Assumption  Parish. 

About  two  miles  up  Bonnet  bayou,  on  property  of  Mr.  Gus  Drews,  of 
Morgan  City,  La.,  are  three  mounds  about  200  yards  in  from  the  water. 

The  mound  nearest  the  bayou,  which,  like  the  other  two,  has  been  plowed 
out  of  shape  and  greatly  spread,  is  of  tenacious  clay  and  about  2 feet  in  height. 
As  the  mounds  on  this  place  were  the  reliance,  in  time  of  Hood,  of  those  owning 
cattle  in  that  region,  they  were  not  accorded  a thorough  investigation;  but  several 
holes  sunk  into  the  one  in  question  came  upon  a skeleton  near  the  surface,  so 
badly  decayed  that  the  exact  form  of  burial  was  not  determinable,  though  the 
skeleton  seemed  to  have  been  closely  flexed  on  the  left  side. 

The  remaining  two  mounds  differed  from  the  other  in  that  they  had  been 
places  of  abode  and  contained  a large  proportion  of  midden  material.  They 
are  known  as  “shell  banks”  in  the  neighborhood,  though  in  reality  they  are  far 
from  being  shell-heaps,  containing  as  they  do  a small  proportion  of  shells,  mostly 
Rarujia  cuneata,  with  a few  Quadrula  apiculata,  in  such  parts  where  shells  are 
present  at  all. 

The  larger  of  the  two  “shell  banks”  was  accorded  an  incomplete  investi- 
gation, the  holes  indicating  that  the  ridge,  which  had  a maximum  height  of  4 
feet  where  less  plowing  had  been  done  than  elsewhere,  perhaps  owing  to  the 
presence  of  trees,  had  increased  in  height  in  the  main  during  a period  of  oc- 
cupancy, as  the  material  of  which  it  was  largely  composed  seemed  to  show. 
An  addition,  however,  of  clay  had  been  made  to  the  mound,  presumably  further 
to  increase  its  height,  probably  after  a time  of  unusually  high  water. 

Scattered  bones  were  found  at  several  points  in  the  mound,  but  only  one 
burial  was  encountered.  The  superficial  part  of  the  mound  above  this  burial 
consisted  of  a layer,  4 inches  deep,  of  black  loam  with  a mingling  of  shells.  Pre- 
sumably this  layer  had  been  much  thicker  at  one  time;  in  fact  we  were  informed 
by  the  custodian  of  the  property  that  all  the  mounds  had  been  considerably 
higher  in  the  past.  Beneath  the  upper  layer  was  a stratum  of  clay  14  inches  deep, 
almost  immediately  under  which  lay  the  burial  in  black  midden  material  which 
contained  no  shells,  though  it  was  noted  that  the  corresponding  layer  in  another 
part  of  the  mound  had  a fair  proportion  of  them.  The  burial,  of  the  kind  so 

“The  bit  of  pottery  enclosed  in  your  letter  is  the  most  westerly  example  yet  found  of  the 
stamped  ware  which  characterizes  the  south  Appalachian  region.  The  matrix  is  siliceous,  and 
the  pot  has  been  built  in  the  same  way  as  the  vessels  from  the  states  to  the  east  of  the  Mississippi. 
The  stamp  used  has  been  merely  faced  with  a number  of  squarish  teeth  and  has  been  applied  as 
a paddle  over  the  surface  of  the  vessel.” 

This  form  of  stamp  has  been  fully  described  by  Professor  Holmes  in  his  “Aboriginal  Pottery 
of  Eastern  United  States,”  pp.  78,  80,  20th  Ann.  Rep.  Bur.  Am.  Ethn. 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


13 


often  found  in  this  region,  consisted  of  a layer  of  skeletal  remains,  including  nine 
crania. 

With  these  bones  was  a fractured  humerus  showing  a fair  union  of  the  parts, 
all  conditions  considered.  This  specimen  was  sent  as  a gift  to  the  Army  Medical 
M useum,  Washington,  D.  ('.,  where  a large  collection  of  pathological  specimens 
presented  by  us  may  be  seen. 

No  artifact  lay  with  the  bones,  although  these  people  had  pottery,  as 
fragments  marked  with  imprints  of  stamps  were  in  the  soil,  and  one  part  of  a 
vessel  was  found  having  below  the  rim,  five  parallel,  encircling,  incised  lines, 
each  line,  at  intervals,  having  punctate  markings. 

On  the  surface  of  the  mound  was  found  part  of  a celt  of  igneous  rock,  having 
a flaring  cutting  edge  and  evidently  having  formed  part  of  a graceful  tool. 

Mound  on  Little  Pigeon  Bayou,  Iberia  Parish. 

On  property  belonging  to  Mr.  Charles  Forgy,  of  Berwick,  La.,  on  Little 
Pigeon  bayou,  is  a mound  in  woods,  about  one-quarter  mile  SSW.  from  the 
landing.  This  mound,  5 feet  in  height  and  75  feet  across  its  circular  base;  was 
investigated  by  us  to  a limited  extent  only,  as  it  was  soon  to  be  employed  as  a 
refuge  in  the  approaching  high  water.  It  was,  so  nearly  as  we  could  determine, 
composed  of  raw  clay  and  probably  never  had  been  a burial  mound. 

Mound1  on  Sorrel  Bayou,  Iberville  Parish. 

About  a mile  and  a half  along  Sorrel  bayou  from  its  junction  with  Grand 
river  is  a mound  in  full  view  from  the  water,  on  property  belonging  to  Messrs. 
A.  Wilbert’s  Sons,  of  Plaquemine,  La.,  whose  large  holdings  of  real  estate  in  this 
region  were  most  courteously  placed  by  them  at  the  disposal  of  the  Academy 
for  investigation. 

The  mound,  most  picturesquely  situated,  about  10  feet  in  height,  is  in  the 
form  of  a truncated  cone,  with  a diameter  of  140  feet.  It  has  been  used  exten- 
sively for  burial  purposes  during  the  last  seventy  years  and  is  covered  with 
crosses  and  head-stones.  Digging  into  it  was  deemed  inadvisable. 

In  contact  with  and  about  surrounding  the  northern  half  of  the  mound 
(ENE.  to  WSW.)  is  a kind  of  platform  with  some  irregularity  of  surface.  The 
maximum  height  of  this  platform  at  the  western  end,  where  it  is  100  feet  broad 
(12  feet  of  which  belongs  to  the  slope),  is  6 feet.  From  this  end  the  platform 
slopes  downward  somewhat  toward  the  eastern  end,  where  it  again  ascends, 
reaching  a height  of  5.5  feet.  At  this  end  the  platform  is  145  feet  across,  20  feet 
of  which  is  slope. 

Trial-holes  sunk  in  this  platform  showed  that  it  increased  during  aboriginal 

1 This  mound  is  shown  on  the  United  States  Government  “Map  of  the  Alluvial  Valley  of 
the  Mississippi  River,  from  the  head  of  St.  Francis  Basin  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.”  Published 
by  the  Mississippi  River  Commission.  A most  useful  publication  for  those  interested  in  this 
region. 


14  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


occupancy,  as  it  was  composed  largely  of  black  soil  containing  ashes,  charcoal, 
fragments  of  mussel-shells,  remnants  of  fish-bones  and  of  deer-bones,  with 
occasional  fragments  of  pottery.  In  the  soil  was  found  also  a bone  identified 
by  Prof.  F.  A.  Lucas  as  the  penis-bone  of  an  otter.  Some  of  the  holes  were 
extended  to  the  base  of  the  platform,  through  this  midden  material  without 
interval  of  any  kind.  On  the  other  hand,  in  places,  layers  of  clay,  several  inches 
in  thickness,  were  present,  locally,  and  perhaps  had  been  placed  in  connection 
with  burials,  as  these  layers  were  sometimes  found  in  the  neighborhood  of 
some  of  the  skeletal  remains;  other  burials,  however,  were  without  such 
strata. 

The  platform  apparently  was  crowded  with  burials  (nearly  all  our  holes 
reaching  them),  and  at  all  depths,  some  beginning  one  foot  from  the  surface, 
while  one  in  the  high,  western  part  of  the  platform  was  only  12  inches  above 
undisturbed  clay,  which  there  was  found  7.5  feet  down.1 

It  was  impossible  to  define  the  limits  of  the  grave-pits,  which  seemingly 
had  been  dug  at  different  stages  in  the  growth  of  the  platform,  as  the  material 
of  which  the  platform  was  made  was  nearly  uniform  in  color,  and  the  clay  layers, 
when  present,  did  not  entirely  cover  the  burials  as  a rule.  These  burials, 
which,  with  two  exceptions,  were  great  deposits  of  bones  mingled  and  spread 
and  of  course  out  of  anatomical  order,  sometimes  connected  on  the  same  level, 
or,  at  times,  layers  of  bones  somewhat  below  others  were  dug  into  when  soil 
was  being  thrown  out  to  facilitate  the  removal  of  upper  deposits. 

Burial  No.  1 was  the  skeleton  of  an  adult,  at  full  length  on  the  back. 

Burial  No.  2,  adult,  lay  closely  flexed  on  the  left  side,  the  upper  part  of  the 
skeleton  being  more  than  3 feet  from  the  surface.  The  skull  and  some  of  the 
other  bones  of  this  skeleton  were  saved. 

The  remaining  burials,  for  reasons  aforesaid,  were  not  separately  enumerated 
The  bones  belonging  to  them  included  two  hundred  and  sixty-eight  skulls,  two 
being  of  adolescents  and  five  of  children.  Sixteen  crania  that  were  in  condition 
to  preserve,  including  the  skull  belonging  to  the  single  burial  referred  to,  were 
sent  as  a gift  to  the  United  States  National  Museum  and  are  described  by 
Dr.  Ales  Hrdlicka  in  a paper  at  the  close  of  this  report. 

At  least  two  of  the  skulls  from  this  place,  when  unearthed,  were  filled  with  clay 
very  light  in  shade  and  entirely  differing  from  the  soil  in  which  they  were  found. 
This  fact  indicates  a reburial,  strong  evidence  of  which  we  found  also  in  the 
Mayes  Mound  at  Lake  Larto,  which  is  described  in  this  report. 

We  know  that  reburial  was  practised  to  some  extent,  at  least,  throughout 
this  region.  Of  the  Chitimacha,2  who  lived  in  various  villages  throughout  this 
part  of  Louisiana,  we  are  told:3  “One  year  after  the  death  of  a head  chief,  or  of 

1 Probably  our  measurement  of  the  height  of  the  platform  was  taken  from  made-ground 
about  1.5  foot  above  undisturbed  clay. 

2 John  It.  Swanton,  “Indian  Tribes  of  the  Lower  Mississippi  Valley  and  Adjacent  ('oast 
of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,”  p.  337,  et  seq.,  Bureau  of  American  Ethnology,  Bulletin  43 

3 Ibid.,  p.  350,  quoting  Gatschet. 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS.  15 


any  of  the  village  war  chiefs,  of  whom  there  were  four  or  five,  their  bones  were  dug 
up  by  a certain  class  of  rninistrants  called  ‘turkey-buzzard  men’  (Osh  ha'  tch‘na ) 
the  remaining  flesh  separated,  the  bones  wrapped  in  a new  and  checkered  mat 
and  brought  to  that  lodge.  . . . After  which  the  bones  were  placed  in  a mound. 

. . . The  burial  of  the  common  people  was  effected  in  the  same  way,  one  year 
after  death;  but  the  inhumation  of  the  bones  took  place  at  the  village  where  they 
had  died.” 

No  artifact  of  any  kind  was  found  in  association  with  the  burials.  In  the 
midden  debris  were:  four  implements  of  bone,  each  having  the  articular  part 
remaining  at  one  end;  several  broken  bone  implements;  three  of  those  objects  of 
clay  to  which  reference  has  been  made  and  of  which  full  description  will  be 
given  later;  and  a rude  knife  of  chert. 

The  fragments  of  pottery  from  this  place  are  of  good,  hard  ware,  sometimes 
fairly  thin,  and  indicate  vessels  presenting  a variety  of  shapes  and  decoration 
of  average  excellence.  One  fragment  shows  uniform  decoration  with  red  pig- 
ment, and  a number  of  others  bear  imprints  made  apparently  by  the  aid  of  a 
stamp. 

Mound  near  the  Schwing  Place,  Iberville  Parish. 

At  the  Schwing  Place,  on  Grand  river,  said  to  belong  to  Messrs.  Wilbert’s. 
Sons,  of  Plaquemine,  La.,  are  remains  of  a railroad  extending  inland.  Fol- 
lowing this  road  for  about  one  mile  and  then  entering  woods  on  the  south  side 
of  the  track,  a distance  of  about  200  feet,  one  reaches  a mound  between  4 and 
5 feet  in  height  and  about  75  feet  in  diameter. 

Eleven  trial-holes  showed  the  mound  to  be  variously  composed,  some  of 
the  holes  reaching  clay  of  a light  shade,  comparatively  well  up  in  the  mound, 
others  going  through  black  soil,  evidently  midden  material,  down  to  what 
seemed  to  be  the  base. 

The  more  central  trial-holes  came  upon  six  burials,  as  follows:  two  bunched 
burials,  each  with  one  skull;  a burial  at  full  length,  too  much  decayed  to  determine 
if  originally  it  had  lain  on  the  back  or  prone;  the  skeleton  of  a child;  the  skull  and 
the  upper  half  of  the  trunk  of  an  adult  skeleton,  the  rest  missing  through  some 
cause  that  was  not  apparent;  a skeleton  at  full  length  on  the  back. 

The  full-length  skeleton  described  as  badly  decayed  lay  with  six  inches 
of  earth  above  it.  Three  inches  below  the  skull,  or  about  15  inches  down,  was 
a deposit  of  objects  of  earthenware,  thirty-two  in  fairly  good  condition  and  a 
number  of  imperfect  ones  and  fragments.  The  deposit  was  not  heaped,  but  was 
spread  at  the  same  level.  These  objects  are  of  the  kind  referred  to  before  in 
this  report,  and  belong  to  the  type  of  artifacts  found  in  great  numbers  at  Poverty 
Point,  on  Bayou  Magon,  La.,  examples  of  which  are  shown  in  Plate  II,  and  which 
will  be  fully  described  in  connection  with  the  Poverty  Point  site.  The  objects 
from  that  place  have  various  shapes,  but  those  under  description  from  the 
Schwing  Place  mound  belong,  such  as  are  whole,  to  two  classes,  one  having  the 


16  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


shape  of  two  cones  placed  base  to  base,  and  the  other,  also  a double  cone  but  with 
four  longitudinal  furrows.  Examples  of  these  are  shown  in  Fig.  2. 


Fig.  2. — Objects  of  earthenware. 


Schwing  Place.  (Full  size.) 


All  these  objects  from  this  place,  even  the  fragments,  were  coated  with  what 
Doctor  Keller  has  determined  to  be  clay,  sand,  and  fine  particles  of  carbon — ash 
material.  In  other  words,  these  objects  had  lain  in  a fireplace,  though  there  was 
no  sign  of  a former  fire  where  they  were  found. 

Throughout  the  mound,  and  evidently  midden-debris,  were  various  frag- 
ments of  pottery,  some  of  fairly  good  quality,  several  having  simple  designs 
composed  of  incised  lines,  and  one  showing  traces  of  red  paint. 

Apart  from  bones  was  a flint  arrowpoint  or  lancehead  about  3 inches  in 
length,  one  barb  of  which  is  missing. 

Mound  Opposite  Pigeon  Bayou,  Iberville  Parish. 

Entering  woods  opposite  Pigeon  Bayou,  belonging  to  Messrs.  A.  Wilbert’s 
Sons,  of  Plaquemine,  La.,  and  keeping  a NNE.  direction  for  about  200  yards 
from  the  water,  one  comes  to  a mound  which  was  visited  by  our  agents  at  a time 
when  the  Atchafalaya  river  was  fairly  low.  This  mound,  at  that  time,  was 
reported  to  be  100  feet  in  diameter  and  4 feet  in  height.  It  was  possible  for  us, 
later,  owing  to  high  water,  to  reach  this  mound  only  by  boat,  but  as  most  of  it 
was  under  water,  no  investigation  could  be  attempted. 

Mounds  on  Lake  La  Rose,  St.  Martin  Parish. 

On  the  bank  of  Lake  La  Rose,  within  sight  of  one  another  when  not  obscured 
by  foliage,  are  three  mounds  on  property  of  Mr.  Robert  Martin,  of  St.  Martinville, 
La. 

The  mound  nearest  the  water  and  in  full  view  from  it  has  been  quadrangular, 
and  probably  square,  but  has  been  greatly  washed  and  worn.  We  were  told 
that  on  its  summit-plateau,  now  24  feet  by  48  feet  in  extent,  forty  persons  had 


17 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 

lived  for  four  months  during  the  great  flood  of  1912.  The  plateau,  it  was  said, 
then  was  larger  than  at  present,  but  had  worn  away  under  this  prolonged  and 
congested  occupancy.  In  height  the  mound  slightly  exceeds  1 1 feet;  its  diameter 
of  base  is  about  95  feet  each  way. 

It  was  evident  the  mound  had  been  occupied  for  a considerable  period  in 
aboriginal  times,  and  that  graves  had  been  dug  into  it,  probably  from  the  surface, 
and  filled  with  a black,  superficial  soil  differing  in  color  from  the  clay  of  which 
the  mound  had  been  made.  Presumably,  however,  the  dark  surface  soil  had 
been  mostly  worn  away  from  the  mound,  as  it  was  present  only  in  graves,  of 
which  five  were  encountered.  Four  of  these  graves  held  scattered  fragments  of 
bones,  probably  disturbances,  all  about  one  foot  from  the  surface.  One  burial, 
1G  inches  down,  was  of  the  bunched  variety,  with  one  skull. 

In  view  of  the  reliance  placed  on  this  mound  as  a place  of  retreat  by  those 
living  near  it,  and  that  the  rising  water  was  not  far  from  its  base  at  the  time  of  our 
visit,  we  did  not  feel  justified  in  undertaking  more  extensive  digging  into  it. 

In  a SSW.  direction  from  the  quadrangular  mound  is  another  in  the  form  of 
a truncated  cone,  8 feet  in  height  and  about  90  feet  in  diameter.  This  mound 
had  dark  soil  extending  more  than  two  feet  down  in  places,  but  considerable 
digging  failed  to  discover  burials. 

In  the  dark  soil  was  found  a graceful  bead  of  granite,  tubular  in  the  main, 
but  expanding  slightly  at  the  center;  it  measures  somewhat  more  than  one  and 
one-half  inch  in  length  and  one-half  inch  in  maximum  diameter. 

This  mound  is  promising  in  appearance,  and  under  different  conditions  a 
large  central  excavation  would  have  been  sunk  to  its  base. 

The  third  mound,  an  insignificant  affair,  is  composed  of  tough  clay.  A very 
brief  investigation  was  accorded  it. 

Mounds  on  Bayou  La  Rose,  St.  Martin  Parish. 

About  200  yards  from  the  bank  of  Bayou  La  Rose  is  a mound  7 feet  in  height 
and  about  95  feet  in  diameter  of  base.  This  mound,  in  woodland  belonging 
to  Mr.  J.  S.  Martin,  of  St.  Martinville,  La.,  was  surrounded  by  water  at  the  time 
of  our  visit,  and  no  digging  into  it  was  attempted.  Near  it  was  a small  mound 
in  part  covered  by  water,  which  also  was  left  untouched. 

Mound  on  the  Wilbert  Property,  Iberville  Parish. 

About  100  yards  in  from  the  east  bank  of  Atchafalaya  river,  in  woodland 
belonging  to  Messrs.  A.  Wilbert’s  Sons,  of  Plaquemine,  is  a mound  about  circular 
in  basal  outline  and  GO  feet  in  diameter.  The  height  is  from  18  inches  to  2 feet. 
The  mound  proved  to  be  a mass  of  roots  and  tough  clay  and  yielded  no  return. 

Mounds  on  Bayou  Grosse  Tete,  Iberville  Parish. 

On  Grosse  Tete  bayou,  on  property  of  the  L.  ().  Landry  Co.,  of  Grosse 
Tete,  La.,  are  two  mounds  which  were  visited  by  our  agent,  one  reported  fo  be 


18  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


10  feet  in  height  and  about  70  feet  in  diameter;  the  other  about  half  that  size. 
Though  these  mounds  were  placed  at  our  disposal  for  investigation,  the  high 
water  prevailing  at  the  time  we  reached  their  vicinity  was  such  that  digging 
into  them  was  deemed  inadvisable. 

Mound  on  Alabama  Bayou,  Iberville  Parish. 

In  open  woods,  probably  a comparatively  recent  growth,  as  the  place 
seemed  to  have  been  under  cultivation,  opposite  the  mouth  of  Johnson’s  bayou, 
about  200  feet  in  from  the  water,  is  a mound,  the  name  of  whose  owner  we  did 
not  learn.  This  mound,  with  a base  irregularly  circular,  60  feet  in  diameter,  is 
about  4.5  feet  in  height.  It  has  been  used  as  a refuge  for  hogs,  and  the  sides  are 
considerably  worn.  The  mound  proved  to  be  of  tough  clay  with  no  sign  of 
interments. 

Seventy  paces  in  a southerly  direction  from  this  mound  is  another  about 
2 feet  in  height  and  50  feet  in  diameter.  In  the  center  of  the  mound  is  a water- 
oak,  a tree  of  no  great  age,  18  feet  in  circumference  5 feet  from  the  ground.  The 
roots  of  this  tree  made  investigation  practically  impossible. 

M ounds  near  Cross  Bayou  Landing,  Pointe  Coupee  Parish. 

About  two  miles  below  Melville,  but  on  the  opposite,  or  eastern,  side  of  the 
river,  a mound  was  visited  by  our  agent  who  reported  it  to  be  about  5 feet  in 
height  and  50  feet  in  diameter  of  base.  As  the  owner  of  the  mound  seemed  to 
consider  that  the  privilege  of  digging  into  it  should  be  richly  paid  for,  the  ques- 
tion of  its  investigation  was  dropped. 

Mounds  near  Melville,  St.  Landry  Parish. 

About  two  miles  in  a southerly  direction  from  Melville,  if  a straight  line 
were  followed,  but  somewhat  more  by  the  way  it  is  necessary  to  take,  is  the 
property  of  Mr.  E.  B.  Dubuisson,  of  Opelousas,  La.,  on  the  southern  bank  of 
Burton  lake,  which  is  probably  a small  bayou  across  the  mouth  of  which  a levee 
has  been  built. 

In  a cultivated  field  on  this  property,  but  a short  distance  apart,  are  a 
ridge  and  a mound. 

The  ridge,  which  evidently  has  been  plowed  down  to  a great  extent,  is  160 
feet  in  length.  At  the  western  and  wider  end  it  is  85  feet  across.  From  this 
end,  where  its  height  is  about  4 feet,  it  slopes  gradually  downward.  No  trace 
of  interments  was  found  in  this  ridge. 

The  mound,  which  has  been  quadrangular,  is  considerably  worn  and  prob- 
ably parts  of  the  sides  have  been  under  cultivation.  Its  height  is  about  8.5 
feet.  Its  basal  diameters  are  110  feet  and  125  feet.  There  is  dark  soil  on  the 
summit-plateau,  which  is  45  feet  by  50  feet,  but  hard,  red  clay  is  soon  reached  in 
digging.  We  found  no  sign  of  burial  in  this  mound,  but  a thorough  examination 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  ANI)  IN  ARKANSAS. 


19 


was  not  accorded  it,  as  the  water  was  rising  rapidly  at  the  time  of  our  visit  and 
the  mound  was  likely  soon  to  be  required  as  a refuge  for  stock. 

There  is  no  history  of  the  discovery  of  aboriginal  relics  at  this  place.  A 
few  small  bits  of  undecorated  pottery  were  seen  by  us  at  the  base  of  the  mound, 
and  a delicate,  barbed  arrowhead  of  flint  was  picked  up  on  it. 

Bayou  Teche,  to  the  westward  of  the  Atchafalaya  region,  this  season  was 
visited  by  us  without  advance  search,  and  inquiries  were  made  as  to  the  existence 
of  mounds,  almost  to  St.  Martinville,  the  head  of  navigation,  85  miles  from 
Morgan  City,  following  the  course  of  the  stream. 

The  banks  of  this  bayou  were  under  cultivation  or  occupied  by  towns  or 
mills  without  interruption  so  far  as  visited  by  us,  and  the  region  evidently  has 
been  thickly  inhabited  for  too  long  a time  to  offer  archaeological  returns  of  much 
interest. 

Several  mounds  were  reported  to  us  as  being  in  the  back  country  and 
probably  under  water  at  the  time  (April,  1913).  Another  mound,  visited  by  us, 
had  been  almost  plowed  away. 

At  Moro  plantation,  St.  Mary  Parish,  belonging  to  Mr.  Oscar  Zenor  of 
Calumet,  La.,  are  two  mounds  near  together  and  in  full  view  from  the  water. 

The  mound  nearer  the  bayou,  13  feet  in  height  and  about  100  feet  in  diam- 
eter of  base,  had  been  dug  into  somewhat  previous  to  our  visit,  and  one  side 
had  been  removed,  perhaps  by  wash,  leaving  so  steep  a section  that  it  was 
possible  to  fall  from  the  summit  to  the  base  on  that  side. 

Although  this  mound  was  connected  with  a shell  ridge  on  the  eastern  side, 
formed  almost  entirely  of  a variety  of  clam-shell,  Rangia  cuneata,  and  midden 
deposit  extending  along  the  bank  of  the  river,  such  excavations  as  were  made 
by  us  in  the  mound  showed  only  scattering  shells,  and  no  mass  of  shells  was 
apparent  at  the  section  where  the  interior  of  the  mound  was  laid  bare. 

Apparently  the  mound  was  made  of  tough  clay.  But  one  skeleton  was 
found;  t his  lay  16  inches  below  the  surface,  extended  face  downward.  A previous 
excavation  had  cut  away  the  skull  and  the  right  side  of  the  thorax. 

The  second  mound,  10.5  feet  high  and  about  lit)  feet  in  basal  diameter,  had 
been  under  cultivation  and  great  furrows  remained  on  its  surface,  though  it  was 
overgrown  with  underbrush  and  grass  at  the  time  of  our  visit. 

This  mound,  so  far  as  excavated  by  us,  was  of  hard  clay  without  sign  of 
burials. 

Immediately  across  the  bayou  from  Charenton  is  the  home  of  Mr.  F.  C. 
Viguere.  One  mile  across  country  from  this  gentleman’s  residence,  in  St.  Mary 
parish,  near  the  border  of  Grand  lake,  arc  five  mounds  composed  largely  of  shell, 
and  various  shell  ridges. 

These  mounds,  with  one  exception,  were  covered  with  growing  sugar-cane, 
so  that  our  investigation  was  restricted  to  this  one,  which  was  7 feet  high  and 
about  125  feet  in  diameter. 


20  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


19  13 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  ANI)  IN  ARKANSAS.  21 


It  had  grown  up  under  aboriginal  occupancy  and  was  composed  largely  of 
shells,  Rangia  cuneata , a clam  very  abundant  in  this  region.  No  burials  were 
found  in  it,  though  human  bones  are  said  to  have  been  plowed  up  from  some  of 
the  other  mounds  at  this  place. 

In  midden  debris  was  a sherd  of  inferior  ware,  on  which  was  red  pigment. 

At  Loreauville,  Iberia  parish,  are  two  mounds  a short  distance  apart,  both 
in  sight  from  the  water,  each  about  5 feet  in  height  and  80  feet  in  diameter,  ap- 
proximately. Human  bones  in  fragments  were  visible  upon  one,  and  both 
mounds  had  an  inviting  appearance,  but  multiplicity  of  owners  and  of  heirs 
living  at  a distance  made  investigation  impossible. 

LAKE  LARTO,  LOUISIANA. 

Lake  Larto,  in  Catahoula  Parish,  La.,  has  long  been  famous  locally  for 
the  discovery  of  aboriginal  relics. 

The  lake,  somewhat  resembling  a horseshoe  in  shape,  is  about  ten  miles 
in  length.  It  is  comparatively  narrow,  but  less  so  at  the  head  of  the  lake,  near 
which  is  an  island  of  considerable  size. 

Lake  Larto  is  connected  by  bayous  with  Catahoula  lake,  Little  river,  Black 
river,  and  Red  river,  Big  Larto  bayou,  its  main  outlet,  joining  Red  river  about 
forty  miles  by  water  from  Mississippi  river.  The  lake  has  Little  river  to  the 
north,  Black  river  nearby,  to  the  east,  and  Red  river  to  the  south.  To  the 
west  is  a region  bounded  by  Red  river,  and  directly  east,  beyond  Black  river,  is 
the  Mississippi.  Such  parts  of  all  these  rivers  as  are  near  or  comparatively  near 
Lake  Larto  have  been  investigated  by  us  without  results  of  especial  interest. 

Captain  .1.  S.  Raybon  and  a companion  searched  the  lake  in  our  behalf 
previous  to  our  coming. 

Mayes  Mounds,  Catahoula  Parish. 

About  one  mile  along  the  western  shore  of  Lake  Larto  from  its  union  with 
Big  Larto  bayou  is  open  woodland,  forming  part  of  a property  belonging  to 
Miss  Josie  S.  Mayes,  of  Harrisonburg,  La.  One-quarter  mile  in  from  the  landing, 
approximately,  on  this  property,  arc  two  mounds,  the  one  nearer  the  water 
being  irregularly  circular  in  outline  with  a basal  diameter  of  165  feet.  The 
height  of  the  central  part  of  the  mound  is  about  5 feet,  though  it  was  doubtless 
somewhat  higher  at  one  time,  as  indicated  by  the  superficial  position  of  some  of 
the  burials  in  it.  Though  a few  trees  are  upon  the  mound  at  present,  it  has 
evidently  been  under  cultivation  in  the  past,  and  the  dark  superficial  soil,  which 
no  doubt  covered  it  to  some  depth  at  one  time,  has  now  disappeared  in  places. 

The  mound,  with  pens  and  a shed  upon  it,  is  a refuge  for  cattle  and  hogs  in 
periods  of  high  water,  therefore  an  investigation  impairing  its  usefulness  was 
not  to  be  thought  of;  nevertheless,  we  were  able  to  put  down  very  many  trial- 
holes  in  all  parts  of  it,  greatly  enlarging  them  in  some  instances,  and  after  most 

2 JOURN.  ACAD.  NAT  SCI.  PIIILA.,  VOL.  XVI. 


22  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


careful  filling,  to  leave  the  mound  in  almost  its  normal  condition.  The  Academy 
feels  greatly  indebted  to  Miss  Mayes  for  full  permission  to  make  an  investiga- 
tion on  her  property. 

Fortunately  the  composition  of  this  interesting  mound  is  of  a nature  to 
facilitate  exact  conclusions.  It  was  composed  of  homogeneous,  light-brown 
clay,  and  a mixture  of  this  clay  and  black  soil  from  the  surface  filled  the  pits, 
all  of  which  evidently  had  been  dug  from  the  surface  at  a time  when  the  deposit 
of  black  midden-soil  thereon  was  greater  than  it  was  at  the  time  of  our  investiga- 
tion. Hence  delimitation  of  the  graves  was  a matter  of  comparative  ease. 

The  aboriginal  burials  (there  were  some  comparatively  recent  ones  which 
we  did  not  permanently  disturb)  seemed  to  have  been  placed  in  the  eastern  portion 
of  the  central  part  of  the  mound. 

The  pits  contained  accumulations  of  skeletal  remains,  but  were  not  filled 
with  them;  nor  were  the  bones  in  one  mass,  they  having  been  placed  here  and 
there  in  different  parts  of  the  grave  (some  always  on  the  base  of  it)  as  if,  after  a 
deposit,  partial  filling  had  taken  place  and  then  other  deposits  had  been  made  and 
covered.  These  deposits,  the  bones  of  which  were  all  very  badly  decayed,  were 
made  up  sometimes  of  the  bones  of  one  individual  apparently,  sometimes  of  a 
number. 

As  the  burials  in  this  mound  present  features  of  considerable  interest,  they 
will  be  described  in  detail. 

Burial  No.  1.  This  pit,  roughly  circular,  8 feet  by  9 feet  and  4.5  feet  in 
depth,  contained  deposits  of  bones  beginning  18  inches  below  the  surface,  among 
which  were  sixteen  crania.  At  times,  long-bones  slanting  upward  rested  along 
the  sides  of  the  pit,  as  was  the  case  in  other  burials  in  this  mound. 

Together  with  skeletal  remains  lying  on  the  base  of  the  pit  were:  powdered 
hematite  (red  pigment);  two  masses  of  kaolin  (white  pigment)  each  about  the 
size  of  a fist;  a lump  of  yellow  ochre,  also  a pigment.  With  these  was  a flat 
pebble  of  flint. 

Near  these  paints  was  a bicave  of  fine-grained  sandstone,  2.25  inches  in 
diameter;  and  on  another  part  of  the  base  of  the  pit,  with  bones,  lay  a fine 
effigy-pipe  of  earthenware,  4.3  inches  in  length  and  3.5  inches  in  maximum 
height.  This  interesting  pipe  (for  large  effigy-pipes  of  earthenware  are  of  great 
rarity,  effigy-pipes  of  considerable  size  usually  being  of  stone)  represents  a frog, 
and  is  shown  in  three  positions  in  Plate  I and  in  section  in  Fig.  3.  It  has  had 
a uniform  coating  of  red  pigment,  now  worn  away  in  places.  The  pipe  has  seen  con- 
siderable use,  as  the  interior  of  the  bowl,  well  blackened  by  fire,  clearly  shows. 

Apart  from  the  burials,  in  the  soil  in  this  grave,  were  the  base  of  an  earthen- 
ware vessel  and  part  of  a base  with  some  of  the  side  of  another  vessel.  In 
one  base  is  a perforation  of  considerable  size;  and  it  is  evident,  from  part  of  it 
remaining,  there  has  also  been  one  in  another  base.  These  perforations  had 
been  made  at  the  time  when  the  vessel  was  in  process  of  modeling,  previous  to 
the  firing  of  the  clay.  We  have  here  a very  interesting  feature,  namely,  the 


JOURN.  ACAD.  NAT.  SCI.  PHILA.,  2ND  SER.,  VOL.  XVI 


PLATE  I 


MAYES  MOUND,  EFFIGY-PIPE  OF  EARTHENWARE,  (lull  size.) 


' 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS.  23 


ceremonial  “killing”  of  vessels,  in  a region  where  it  was  seldom  practised.  This 
“killing,”  as  the  reader  probably  is  aware,  was  done  to  free  the  “soul”  of  the 
vessel  that  it  might  accompany  the  spirit  of  the  owner  on  his  journey.  This 
custom  was  practised  chiefly  by  aborigines  of  Florida  and  southern  Arizona, 
sometimes  by  knocking  a hole  in  the  bottom  of  a vessel,  sometimes  by  cutting 
a hole  in  it,  after  the  completion  of  the  vessel.  Ceremonial  vessels  in  Florida 
also  were  often  made  for  mortuary  rites,  with  a hole  moulded  in  the  base  during 
the  process  of  manufacture,  similar  to  some  of  those  present  in  this  mound,  and 
some  vessels  even  had  additional  openings  made  in  the  body.1 


Fig.  3. — Pipe.  Vertical  section.  (Full  size.) 


Burial  No.  2.  This  pit,  an  irregular  ellipse,  10.5  feet  by  7.25  feet  and  only 
2 feet  in  depth,  contained  skeletal  deposits  including  thirty-three  skulls. 

Near  a skull  was  a bicave  ear-plug  of  hard  earthenware,  1.3  inch  in  diameter, 
flaring  on  what  was  no  doubt  the  side  presented  in  front  when  the  ornament  was 
in  use.  Both  faces  bear  a black  polish  now  somewhat  impaired.  The  circum- 
ference is  comparatively  rough.  Presumably  the  remaining  ear-plug  had  fallen 
from  the  skull  before  burial,  or  possibly  had  been  lost  in  the  process  of  reburial, 
which  probably  had  been  practised  in  this  mound,  to  which  custom  we  shall  have 
occasion  to  refer  later  in  connection  with  this  place. 

Lying  above  a group  of  six  skulls  was  a bowl  of  earthenware,  unbroken  and 

1 The  fullest  details  as  to  the  “killing”  of  vessels  are  given  in  our  reports  on  the  archaeology 
of  Florida  and  of  nearby  regions. 


24  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


without  basal  perforation,  7.75  inches  in  diameter,  bearing  no  incised  decoration, 
but  having  an  encircling  depression  below  the  rim.  The  ware,  which  is  inferior, 
is  tempered  with  gravel  or  with  small  bits  of  pottery. 

In  the  neighborhood  of  skeletal  remains  was  a small  celt,  having  the  edge 
entirely  chipped  away,  and  part  of  another. 

Burial  No.  3.  This  burial  was  a skeleton  at  full  length,  16  inches  from  the 
surface,  so  badly  decayed  that  it  was  traceable  by  small  fragments  only. 

Burial  No.  4.  This  pit  was  oblong,  with  rounded  corners,  and  measured 
8 feet  by  5 feet  9 inches  by  4 feet  8 inches  deep.  Interments  were  encountered 
7 inches  from  the  surface  and  continued  down  at  intervals  in  the  way  already 
described.  The  skeletal  remains  included  sixty-six  skulls.  With  the  bones, 
in  places,  were  numerous  fragments  of  bones  showing  marks  of  fire,  but  not 
calcined. 

Unless  objects  of  a perishable  nature  were  placed  with  the  burials  in  this 
pit,  the  aborigines  presumably  considered  their  duty  to  the  dead  fulfilled  when 
they  had  deposited  with  them : part  of  a very  rude  knife  of  flint;  a little  powdered 
hematite  at  one  place  on  the  base;  probably  a rattle,  of  which  but  a group  of 
small  pebbles  remained;  a pot  of  earthenware,  having  by  way  of  decoration  a 
series  of  encircling,  parallel,  incised  lines  below  the  rim.  This  vessel  was  so 
badly  crushed  that  determination  as  to  the  presence  of  a basal  perforation  was 
impossible. 

Burial  No.  5.  An  elliptical  pit,  only  14  inches  deep  at  the  time  of  our  in- 
vestigation, and  7.5  feet  by  5 feet  in  extent.  Human  bones,  including  twelve 
skulls,  appeared  immediately  under  the  surface  and  continued  to  the  base.  It 
may  be  well  to  explain  that  the  skulls  in  this  mound  were  so  badly  decayed  that 
they  were  invariably  crushed  and  that  some  were  represented  by  fragments  only. 
A fireplace  lay  beneath  part  of  this  pit.  but  the  bones  showed  no  effect  of  heat 
and  the  presence  of  the  fireplace  perhaps  was  adventitious. 

No  artifacts  accompanied  the  remains  in  this  grave. 

Burial  No.  6.  An  oblong  pit  6 feet  10  inches  by  4 feet  by  2.5  feet  deep, 
with  a small  offset  at  one  side.  Human  remains,  including  twenty-three  skulls, 
extended  down  from  3 inches  below  the  surface.  With  the  remains  were  an 
undecorated  pipe  of  hard  earthenware,  shown  in  Fig.  4,  and  in  section  in  Fig.  5, 
and  part  of  a somewhat  similar  one.  There  was  present  also  a small  vessel,  in 
fragments  (as  were  all  the  vessels  from  this  mound  with  the  exception  of  one 
already  described),  having  in  the  base  a mortuary  perforation  made  before  the 
firing  of  the  clay.  Also  with  bones  was  a lump  of  pigment  tending  toward  purple 
in  shade,  especially  when  damp,  similar  to  that  found  by  us  in  the  mound  on 
the  Haley  Place,1  on  Red  river,  southwestern  Arkansas.  It  has  been  determined 
that  pigment  of  this  kind  is  ordinary  red  hematite  that  has  been  subjected  to 
heat.  Presumably  the  aborigines  were  acquainted  with  the  method  of  manu- 

1 “Some  Aboriginal  Sites  on  Red  River,”  pp.  531  and  54S.  Journ.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  of 
Phila.,  Yol.  XIV. 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS.  25 


facture  of  this  pigment  and  that  its  occurrence  is  not  owing  to  accidental  contact 
with  fire. 

Burials  Nos.  7,  10,  1 1,  respectively  7 inches,  6 inches,  1 foot  from  the  surface, 
were  interments  of  adults  extended  on  the  hack.  No  artifacts  were  in  association. 

Burial  No.  8.  This  grave-pit,  which  included  in  its  contents  twenty-one 
skulls,  was  oblong,  8 feet  by  4 feet  by  3 feet  deep.  Bones  were  first  encountered 
G inches  from  the  surface.  W ith  the  remains  was  a small  bowl  bearing  rude, 


Fig.  4. — Pipe  of  earthenware.  Mayes  mound. 
(Full  size.) 


Fig.  5. — Pipe.  Vertical  section.  (Full  size.) 


incised,  scroll  decoration.  The  base  of  this  bowl  was  not  present  with  tin*  other 
parts  recovered  by  us,  and  presumably  had  been  knocked  out  ceremonially. 
Another  small  bowl  was  found  having  rude,  lined  decoration  and  so  badly  broken 
that  determination  as  to  a basal  hole  was  not  possible. 

A part  of  a large  earthenware  pipe  from  this  pit,  consisting  of  most  of  that 
portion  made  for  the  reception  of  the  stem,  bears  on  each  of  two  opposite  sides, 
two  concentric  circles  surrounding  a dot.  Around  the  orifice  for  the  stem  is  a 
deeply  incised  circle,  and  the  beginning  of  other  decoration,  also  incised,  is  on 
the  top  of  the  fragment. 

There  were  also  found  separately  in  the  pi t , a small  bicave  of  coarse  sand- 
stone, and  an  arrowhead,  or  knife,  of  flint,  having  but  one  shoulder,  a peculiarity 
already  on  record1  as  occurring  on  some  flint  points  from  this  (Catahoula) 


Burial  No.  9.  Oblong,  with  rounded  corners,  7.5  feet  in  length,  the  two 
ends  being  respectively  3 feet  and  3 feet  8 inches  across.  The  grave  was  1 foot 
8 inches  in  depth,  and  bones,  including  seven  skulls,  lay  within  four  inches  of 
the  surface.  In  association  with  the  interments  was  a lump  of  yellow  ochre  in  a 
deposit  consisting  of  a rude  lancehead  of  quartzite,  slightly  more  than  5 inches  in 
length;  two  lanceheads  of  flint,  each  about  3 inches  long;  and  a lancepoint  or 
arrowhead,  also  of  flint,  having  a length  of  2.5  inches. 

1 Gerard  Fowke,  “Stone  Art.”  Thirteenth  An.  Rep.  Bur.  Am.  Ethn.,  p.  156,  tig.  218. 


26  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


Burial  No.  12.  This  pit  was  8 feet  long  by  4 feet  wide  and  had  at  the  southern 

end  an  offset  30  inches  wide  and 
2 feet  in  depth.  The  depth  of  the 
grave  was  4 feet,  and  human  re- 
mains, including  forty-nine  crania, 
were  present  from  10  inches  below 
the  surface,  extending  at  inter- 
vals to  the  base. 

Near  the  surface  was  a small 
pot  with  rude  line-decoration  and 
having  a hole  broken  through  the 
base.  Two  pebbles  lay  near  a 
skull,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  an- 
other was  a sandstone  lancehead, 
4 inches  in  length,  having  marginal 
notches  on  both  sides  of  the  blade. 
This  lancehead  can  hardly  have 
been  intended  for  any  practical 
purpose. 

Burial  No.  13.  This  pit,  in 
the  form  of  an  irregular  ellipse, 
feet  deep.  Skeletal  remains,  among  which 


Fig.  G. — Pipe  of  sandstone.  Mayes  mound.  (Full  size.) 


was  9 feet  by  5 feet  2 inches,  and  2.5 
were  twenty-five  crania,  were  found, 
some  within  3 inches  of  the  surface. 

This  grave  yielded:  a quartz 
pebble  slightly  biconvex,  which  had 
the  margin,  originally  roughly  circu- 
lar, additionally  rounded;  an  earth- 
enware vessel  with  a hole  in  the  bot- 
tom, made  previous  to  the  firing; 
part  of  another  vessel  which  had 
been  similarly  treated. 

Almost  on  the  base,  with  bones 
on  all  sides,  were  two  pipes  imme- 
diately together.  One  of  these  is  of 
earthenware,  biconical,  with  scant 
line-decoration.  The  other,  of  sand- 
stone, is  3 inches  in  height  and  has 
a maximum  diameter  of  3.2  inches. 
The  decoration,  which  is  incised, 
consists  mainly  of  series  of  crescen- 
tic lines.  This  pipe  is  shown  in  Figs 


Fig.  7. — Pipe  of  sandstone.  Mayes  mound.  (Full  size.) 

6,  7 and  in  section  in  Fig.  8. 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS.  27 


Burials  Nos.  14  and  18.  Pit  No.  14,  8 feet  by  2 feet  8 inches,  and  2 feet 
4 inches  deep,  was  contiguous  to  Pit  No.  18,  which  was  6 feet  3 inches  by  6 feet 
10  inches,  and  3 feet  deep.  When  these  graves  were  first  discovered  they  were 
supposed  to  be  a single  grave  and 
burials  from  both  of  them  were  noted 
as  belonging  to  one  pit.  Later,  when 
it  was  found  that  there  were  two 
graves  in  actual  contact  without  divi- 
sion for  a distance  of  at  least  4 feet, 
it  was  then  too  late  to  determine 
which  burials  scored  had  belonged  to 
each  grave,  and  consequently  all  from 
both  graves  are  noted  together. 

Human  bones  were  first  encoun- 
tered 10  inches  from  the  surface.  With 
them  were  forty-one  crania. 

Mortuary  deposits  in  this  grave 
were  as  follows:  an  earthenware  ves- 
sel having  a hole  in  the  base,  made 
after  the  firing  of  the  clay;  another 
vessel  with  the  bottom  ceremonially 
broken  out;  a small  undecorated  bowl  having  a hole  broken  through  the  base; 
a lump  of  yellow  ochre. 

Burial  No.  15.  A pit  10  feet  5 inches  long  and  5 feet  9 inches  across  each 
of  its  rounded  ends,  and  3 feet  2 inches  in  depth.  Skeletal  remains  were  within 
one  foot  from  the  surface  and  included  eighteen  skulls. 

Artifacts  with  the  remains  were:  a flint  pebble  about  the  size  of  a fist; 
another  considerably  smaller;  a pottery  vessel  through  the  base  of  which  had 
been  a ceremonial  hole,  but  whether  made  before  or  after  the  firing  of  the  clay 
we  were  unable  to  decide,  owing  to  the  condition  of  the  ware. 

Burial  No.  16.  This  pit . circular,  so  nearly  as  we  could  determine,  was  34 
inches  in  diameter  and  13  inches  deep.  It  contained  fragments  of  badly-decayed 
bones  on  its  base,  but  if  any  cranium  had  been  present  its  parts  were  not  in  a 
condition  to  identify. 

Burial  No.  17.  This  grave,  oblong  with  rounded  ends,  8 feet  5 inches  by 
4 feet  7 inches,  and  1 foot  9 inches  deep,  contained  human  remains  with  eight 
skulls,  extending  to  within  six  inches  of  the  surface.  There  were  no  associated 
artifacts. 


Burial  No.  18  has  been  described  in  connection  with  Burial  No.  14. 

Burial  No.  19,  a long  and  narrow  grave,  8 feet  in  length,  2 feet  9 inches 
across  at  the  middle  and  2 feet  wide  at  each  end.  The  depth  was  2 feet  3 inches. 
This  grave,  which  held  four  skulls  with  other  skeletal  remains,  the  bones  being 
within  8 inches  of  the  surface  in  places,  had  been  somewhat  longer  than  the 
measurement  given,  but  had  been  cut  across  at  one  end  by  Burial  No.  18. 


28  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


Burial  No.  20.  This  grave-pit,  which  was  8 feet  long,  6 feet  across  at  the 
middle  and  about  5 feet  8 inches  at  each  end,  had  a depth  of  2 feet  3 inches,  the 
sides  sloping  inward  somewhat  toward  the  bottom,  as  was  the  ease  with  all  the 
graves  in  this  mound.  Skeletal  remains,  among  which  were  twelve  crania,  were 
within  8 inches  of  the  surface. 

The  only  artifact,  if  such  it  may  be  called,  coining  from  this  large  grave, 
was  a flat  pebble  with  some  evidence  of  wear  on  parts  of  the  margin. 


l'Ki.  9. — Vi‘.sscl_of  carthenwiire.  Maye.s  mound.  (Full  size.) 


Burial  No.  21.  A grave  4 feet  2 inches  in  depth,  elliptical  in  outline,  having 
a length  of  7 feet  1)  inches  and  a maximum  width  of  4 feet  3 inches.  The  bones, 
which  included  six  skulls,  were  found  comparatively  deep,  none  being  nearer 
than  21  inches  from  the  surface.  With  the  remains  was  no  artifact  whatever, 
but  well  up  toward  the  mouth  of  the  grave,  as  if  to  do  duty  for  all  below  it,  a 
vessel  had  been  placed.  This  vessel,  undecorated  but  of  graceful  shape,  has  a 
ceremonial  hole  knocked  through  the  bottom. 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS.  29 


Burial  No.  22.  This  grave  was  perplexing.  It  was  irregularly  oblong,  7 
feet  long  with  ends  3 feet  9 inches  and  3 feet  4 inches,  respectively.  Its  depth  was 
3 feet  4 inches.  Only  two  skulls  were  discovered  in  the  pit,  accompanied  by  a 
limited  amount  of  minute  fragments  of  other  bones,  some  within  8 inches  of  the 
surface.  It  seemed  unlikely  that  the  aborigines  would  make  a grave  of  such 
large  size  for  so  limited  an  interment.  The  grave  was  filled  with  roots  of  a large 


Fig.  10. — Vessel  of  earthenware.  Mayes  mound.  (Height  5.1  inches.) 


tree,  growing  nearby,  and  it  is  barely  possible  that  many  of  the  bones  were  ab- 
sorbed by  them. 

From  this  pit  came  an  undecorated,  biconical  pipe  of  earthenware,  from 
which  a small  part  of  the  bowl  had  been  broken  before  its  inhumation. 

This  pit  apparently  had  cut  through  a narrow  and  shallow  grave  in  which 
were  a skull  and  other  bones  that  may  have  been  a burial  at  length. 

A few  inches  distant  from  the  larger  grave,  but  clearly  separated  by  the 
yellow  clay,  was  a small,  shallow  pit  filled  with  dark  soil,  in  which,  however,  no 
bones  were  found. 


30  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


Burial  No.  23.  This  grave,  oblong  with  rounded  corners,  8 feet  by  3.5  feet 
by  1 foot  10  inches  deep,  contained  bones,  including  thirty  skulls,  which  reached 
to  within  8 inches  of  the  surface  in  places. 

Part  of  a pot  having  a basal  perforation  made  before  the  firing  of  the  vessel 
was  the  only  artifact  accompanying  the  numerous  deposits  of  bones. 

No  bones  of  children  were  discovered  in  this  mound,  and  if  any  had  been 
placed  in  the  graves  explored  by  us — and  it  seems  likely  that  such  was  the  case 
— all  trace  of  them  had  disappeared. 

An  interesting  point  in  connection  with  this  mound  is  that  none  of  the  four 
single  burials  of  skeletons  from  it  had  any  artifact  in  association. 

As  a general  rule  one  expects  to  discover,  and  generally  does  discover, 
more  artifacts  placed  with  single  skeletons  than  with  burials  of  the  bunched 
variety.  The  reason  for  this  presumably  is  that  entire  skeletons  probably 
arc  of  individuals  dead  a shorter  time  at  the  period  of  interment  than  were  those 

to  whom  the  disconnected  bones  be- 
longed, whose  ligaments  no  longer 
held  them  together,  and  consequently 
the  affection  of  those  related  to  the 
individual  burials  had  been  allowed 
less  time  to  abate. 

In  this  mound,  as  in  the  one  at 
Sorrel  bayou,  in  the  Atchafalaya  re- 
gion, already  described  in  this  report, 
reburial  of  bones  evidently  had  ta- 
ken place,  as  a number  of  skulls  were 
found  filled  with  clay  differing  en- 
tirely in  shade  from  that  present  in 
the  mound.  It  is  true  that  Lake 
Lartois  somewhat  north  of  the  coun- 
try of  the  Chitimachas,  by  whom  it 
is  recorded  reburial  was  practised; 
nevertheless  it  is  clear  the  custom 
was  not  confined  to  that  region. 

The  pottery  from  this  place, 
though  not  of  more  than  medium 
quality,  shows  evidence  of  consider- 
able care  in  finish  in  some  instances, 
and,  as  a rule,  is  graceful  in  form. 
One  piece  bears  a high  polish,  and  in  this  connection  it  is  interesting  to  note 
that  the  pebbles  found  in  this  mound  had  the  appearance  of  having  served  as 
smoothing  stones.  The  decoration  of  the  ware  is  incised  and  punctate  as  a rule, 
a favorite  design  being  a series  of  incised,  encircling,  parallel  lines  below  the 


Fit;.  11. — Vessel  of  earthenware.  Mayes  mound. 
(Height  4.9  inches.) 


nm. 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS.  31 


The  most  interesting  feature  connected  with  the  pottery  from  this  mound  is 
the  presence  in  the  vessels,  almost  without  exception,  of  the  ceremonial,  basal 
perforation.  The  more  interesting  vessels  from  this  place  are  shown  in  Figs.  9, 
10,  11,  12,  13. 


Fig.  12. — Vessel  of  earthenware.  Mayes  mound.  Fig.  13. — Vessel  of  earthenware.  Mayes  mound. 

(Height  2.7  inches.)  (Height  8 inches.) 

In  a trial-hole  which  did  not  encounter  bones,  was  a barbed  arrowhead  of 
flint,  about  one  inch  in  length. 

About  130  paces  WSW.  from  the  mound  just  described  is  the  other  mound, 
which  is  irregularly  circular  in  outline,  about  4 feet  in  height  and  180  feet  in 
diameter.  This  mound  was  carefully  searched  without  any  indication  of  its 
former  use  as  a place  of  burial. 

Wiley  Place,  Catahoula  Parish. 

The  place  belonging  to  Mr.  Mitchell  Wiley,  who  resides  upon  it,  is  about 
at  the  middle  of  the  southern  shore  of  Lake  Larto.  It  is  to  this  place  the  lake 
owes  its  reputation  as  a center  for  the  discovery  of  aboriginal  relics,  and  not  to 
the  Mayes  mounds,  which  presumably  had  not  been  investigated  before  our 
coming. 

Immediately  on  the  shore  of  the  lake,  on  Mr.  Wiley’s  place,  are  three  low 
mounds  of  irregular  outline,  apparently  greatly  worn  as  each  has  a building 


32  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


upon  it' and  is  constantly  subjected  to  the  going  and  coming  of  persons  and  of 
stock.  There  is  also,  beyond  these  mounds  but  in  sight  from  them,  another  one 
3 or  4 feet  high  and  possibly  50  feet  in  diameter.  Into  this  mound,  Mr.  Wiley 
informed  us,  he  had  dug  centrally  a considerable  excavation  without  finding 
anything.  The  mound,  upon  inspection,  proved  to  be  of  raw  clay. 

According  to  Mr.  Wiley,  but  one  of  the  three  low,  flat  mounds  contains  burials, 
so  far  as  his  experience  goes.  While  conversing  with  us  Mr.  Wiley  removed  from 
this  mound,  with  a knife,  a human  femur,  which  lay  partly  exposed  on  the  surface. 
Some  years  ago,  Mr.  Wiley  explained,  a member  of  the  faculty  of  a college  in 
New  Orleans  had  dug  extensively  into  this  mound,  finding  pottery  and  two 
undecorated  pipes  of  earthenware,  evidently  of  the  biconical  kind,  according  to 
Mr.  Wiley’s  description. 

Mr.  Wiley  informed  us  that  aboriginal  relics  were  constantly  being  un- 
earthed at  the  place  during  his  cultivation  of  the  fields,  but  none  presented  any 
feature  of  especial  interest,  according  to  the  descriptions  furnished  by  him. 

In  Mr.  Wiley’s  possession  were:  a number  of  small,  barbed  arrowpoints  of 
flint;  an  earthenware  vessel  representing  a frog,  from  which  parts  were  missing; 
a charm-stone,  elongated  ovoid  in  shape,  made  from  a pebble,  bearing  a groove 
to  facilitate  suspension;  a discoidal  bead  wrought  from  part  of  a shell,  the  thick- 
ness suggesting  marine  origin;  three  or  four  small  stone  hatchets. 

The  effigy- vessel,  through  the  base  of  which  a ceremonial  hole  had  been 
broken,  was  rudely  made  and  inferior  to  many  vessels  of  the  same  class  from 
other  localities. 

As  the  lake  had  covered  Mr.  Wiley’s  property  in  the  great  flood  of  the 
preceding  year,  and  as  the  water,  which  was  again  rising  was  not  far  from  his 
home  at  the  time  of  our  visit,  Mr.  Wiley  was  unwilling  to  have  digging  attempted 
in  the  mounds  on  which  his  buildings  were,  and,  under  the  circumstances,  we 
cannot  see  how  his  decision  could  have  been  otherwise. 

TENSAS  RIVER,  LOUISIANA. 

Tensas  river  has  its  source  in  Lake  Providence,  in  the  northeastern  part  of 
that  portion  of  Louisiana  which  lies  west  of  Mississippi  river,  and  keeps  a 
southerly  course  in  the  main  until,  at  the  town  of  .Jonesville,  La.,  it  joins 
Ouachita  and  Little  rivers,  the  three  forming  Black  river,  which  continues  to  its 
junction  with  Red  river. 

Tensas  river  is  considered  navigable  to  a settlement  called  Westwood,  81 
miles  by  water  from  the  union  of  the  three  rivers,  but  the  stream  was  searched 
by  our  agents  from  the  town  of  Quebec  down,  a much  greater  distance. 

The  Tensas  was  investigated  by  us  up  to  Indian  bayou,  about  22  miles  by 
water  above  Westwood,  by  dint  of  felling  projecting  trees  which  barred  the 
passage  of  the  narrow  stream,  and  by  lopping  off  interfering  boughs.  The 
river  could  have  been  explored  considerably  farther  in  the  high  water  prevailing 


1913 


34  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


at  the  time,  had  it  not  been  reported  that  a mass  of  entangled  logs,  trees,  and 
driftwood,  known  as  a jam,  formed  somewhat  above  Indian  bayou,  effectually 
blocked  the  stream.  Probably  with  t he  force  at  our  command  and  expenditure 
of  time,  the  jam  might  have  been  contended  with  successfully,  but  the  result  of 
our  archaeological  work  on  Tensas  river  had  not  been  such  as  to  encourage  us 
to  proceed,  especially  as  the  report  of  our  agent  as  to  the  river  above  was  adverse. 

Inspection  of  the  map  accompanying  this  report  might  lead  one  to  judge 
that  parts  of  that  portion  of  the  Tensas  covered  by  us  had  been  slighted  by  our 
expedition,  since  so  few  places  are  shown  where  archaeological  work  was  done, 
but  in  point  of  fact  much  of  that  portion  of  the  Tensas  territory  investigated  by 
us  is  uninhabited  near  the  river, — mainly  timberland,  sometimes  with  heavy 
undergrowth  or  canebrake, — and  though  mounds  may  be  present  in  woods  or 
swamps  bordering  such  parts  of  the  stream,  these  mounds  were  not  visible  or 
in  a position  to  be  found  by  unguided  search,  nor  were  inhabitants  to  be  seen 
from  whom  inquiries  could  be  made. 

The  archaeology  of  Tensas  river  is  in  the  main  uninteresting.  Burials 
(which  were  made  in  mounds  and  not  in  cemeteries)  had  so  few  artifacts  with 
them  that  that  feature  constitutes  the  most  interesting  part  of  the  archaeology 
of  the  stream. 

Sites  Investigated. 

On  Indian  Village  Place,  Concordia  Parish. 

Near  Wildwood  Landing,  Catahoula  Parish. 

On  the  Flynn  Place,  Tensas  Parish. 

On  Alphenia  Plantation,  Tensas  Parish. 

On  the  Hedgeland  Place,  Catahoula  Parish. 

On  the  Mound  Bayou  Place,  Tensas  Parish. 

On  the  Lee  Place,  Tensas  Parish. 

At  Fool  river,  Madison  Parish. 

Near  Indian  Bayou,  Madison  Parish. 

Mound  on  Indian  Village  Place,  Concordia  Parish. 

About  one-quarter  mile  in  from  the  landing,  on  property  of  Mr.  II.  C. 
Luckett,  of  Natchez,  Miss.,  is  a mound  about  5 feet  high  and  approximately 
100  feet  in  diameter  of  base.  This  mound  at  one  time  had  been  quadrangular, 
with  a summit-plateau.  There  was  no  history  of  any  discovery  of  artifacts  or 
bones  on  the  place,  and  as  the  mound  had  been  devoted  to  burial  purposes  in 
recent  times,  no  work  was  done  there  by  us. 

Mound  near  Wildwood  Landing,  Catahoula  Parish. 

About  one-half  mile  wcstwardly  from  Wildwood  Landing,  in  a cultivated 
field  forming  part  of  the  plantation  of  Mr.  Robert  .1.  Eltringham,  who  resides 
upon  it,  is  a mound  fairly  symmetrical  and  evidently  about  square  originally. 
The  sides  face  the  cardinal  points.  Its  diameter  of  base  is  100  feet  approximately, 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


35 


of  which  about  60  feet  lie  beneath  the  summit-plateau.  Its  height  is  7 feet. 

This  mound,  which  evidently  had  belonged  to  the  domiciliary  class,  was 
filled  with  recent  burials,  the  headstones  extending  to  the  very  margin  of  the 
summit-plateau.  No  investigation  was  attempted. 

Careful  search  in  surrounding  territory  came  upon  no  indication  of  an 
aboriginal  cemetery,  nor  was  there  any  history  of  discoveries  made  in  the  course 
of  cultivation. 


Mound  on  the  Flynn  Place,  Tensas  Parish. 

The  Flynn  Place  is  the  property  of  Mr.  H.  D.  Hassler,  of  Wildwood,  La., 
a short  distance  farther  down  the  river.  About  one-half  mile  in  from  the  water, 
in  a cultivated  field  on  the  upper  part  of  the  Flynn  Place,  is  a mound  slightly 
less  than  6 feet  in  height,  which  at  one  time,  no  doubt,  had  been  quadrangular 
with  an  extensive  summit-plateau — presumably  a mound  of  the  domiciliary 
class.  The  outer  part  of  the  mound,  however,  has  been  plowed  to  such  an 
extent  that  its  basal  outline  is  very  irregular.  Measurements  at  the  time  of 
our  visit  gave  diameters  of  base  of  70  feet  and  95  feet. 

This  mound  had  been  extensively  used  for  burial  purposes  in  recent  times. 
A few  holes  sunk  where  no  sign  of  former  interments  was  apparent,  showed  the 
mound  to  be  of  raw  clay. 

Two  neighboring  rises  in  the  field  surrounding  the  mound,  on  which  were  a 
few  fragments  of  Hint  and  of  pottery,  were  investigated  by  us,  but  undisturbed 
soil  was  soon  reached  without  the  discovery  of  artifact  or  bone. 

Mounds  on  Alphenia  Plantation,  Tensas  Parish. 

Alphenia  Plantation,  bordering  Tensas  river,  the  owner  of  which  is  Mr.  F.  E. 
Bowman,  who  resides  upon  it,  has  in  sight  from  the  water  three  interesting 
mounds,  all  of  which,  with  extensive  summit-plateaus,  probably  have  been  about 
square  at  one  time,  though  wash  of  rain  has  rounded  the  corners  and  in  places 
has  cut  into  the  sides  of  the  mounds  to  a considerable  extent. 

For  greater  convenience  in  description  we  shall  assign  letters  to  these 
mounds,  calling  that  nearest  the  river,  A;  its  nearest  neighbor,  B;  and  the  third 
mound,  C.  These  mounds  are  thus  lettered  on  the  accompanying  plan  (Fig.  14). 

Before  proceeding  to  give  the  dimensions  of  these  high  places  it  may  be 
well  to  remind  those  who  are  not  familiar  with  mounds  through  actual  work  in 
the  Held  that  all  measurements  of  mounds  are  lacking  in  exactness,  for  who  can 
determine,  in  taking  a diameter,  precisely  where  Held  ends  and  mound  begins, 
or  can  say,  in  a measurement  of  height,  that  he  has  selected  the  exact  level  from 
which  to  take  it?  When  mounds  have  suffered  considerably  through  wash  of 
rain  or  of  flood,  or  by  trampling  of  cattle,  the  measure  of  uncertainty  is,  of 
course,  increased  since  these  agencies  tend  to  augment  the  irregularity  of  the 
sides  and  to  create  depressions  in  the  surrounding  ground. 

Mound  A.  Height,  19.5  feet;  diameter  of  base,  170  feet. 


3(5  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


Mound  B.  Height,  14.5  feet;  diameter  of  base,  130  feet. 

Mound  C.  Height,  18  feet;  diameter  of  base  approximately  the  same  as 
that  of  Mound  A. 

All  three  mounds  had  about  the  same  diameters  of  summit-plateau,  namely, 
70  feet. 

At  the  side  of  each  mound  was  a depression,  filled  with  water  at  the  time 
of  our  visit,  whence  came  the  material  for  its  building.  These  ponds  were, 
respectively,  west  of  Mound  A,  north  of  Mound  B,  south  of  Mound  C. 


Scale  in  1c el 

o So  loo  • Ipa 


Fig.  14. — Plan  of  mounds.  Alphenia  Plantation. 

The  sides  of  the  mounds  all  face  the  cardinal  points,  and  an  equally  interest- 
ing feature  is  that  the  three  mounds  have  been  arranged  to  form  a triangle,  the 
apex  of  which  is  directed  toward  the  north,  while  the  base  is  east  and  west. 
Furthermore,  to  the  southward  of  the  base  of  this  triangle  is  the  remainder  of  a 
mound,  marked  I)  on  the  plan.  This  mound  at  the  present  time  is  less  than  2 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS.  37 


feet  in  height,  but  has  been  under  cultivation  for  many  years.  The  owner  of 
the  plantation,  Mr.  Bowman,  informed  us  that  it  was  cleared  by  his  father  in 
1844  and  that  the  mound  in  question  at  that  time  was  some  feet  higher  than  it  is 
at  present.  While  this  mound  can  never  have  rivaled  the  others  in  size,  it  no 
doubt  was  an  important  landmark  and  probably  was  the  nucleus  of  what  was 
intended  to  be  a much  larger  mound. 

If  this  mound  be  taken  in  conjunction  with  the  other  three,  we  find  a diamond- 
shaped figure  with  mounds  at  the  four  angles,  which  angles  are  directed  toward 
the  cardinal  points  of  the  compass,  or  nearly  so.  In  the  case  of  the  southern 
mound  it  was,  of  course,  impossible  to  determine  the  center,  owing  to  the  partial 
demolition  referred  to. 

Still  further,  if  lines  be  drawn  connecting  the  centers  of  opposite  mounds 
(the  center  of  Mound  1)  being  to  a certain  extent  assumed),  a cross  will  be  formed 
whose  arms  point  approximately  toward  the  cardinal  points — a cross  of  the  four 
directions. 

Mounds  A and  C in  comparatively  recent  years  had  been  devoted  to  pur- 
poses of  burial.  Mound  A being  the  cemetery  of  the  Bowman  family.  In- 
vestigation of  these  mounds,  of  course,  was  out  of  the  question. 

Mound  B,  used  as  a place  of  refuge  for  stock  in  flood-time,  had  a summit- 
plateau  whose  soil  presented  a dark  appearance.  Ten  trial-holes,  a number  of 
which  were  afterward  greatly  enlarged,  were  put  down  with  a feeling  of  consider- 
able confidence,  which  later  was  justified  by  the  discovery  of  eight  burials. 

Some  of  these  burials  presented  an  interesting  feature.  While  five  of  them 
were  comparatively  superficial,  ranging  between  10  inches  and  2 feet  in  depth, 
and  had  been  put  down  from  the  surface,  three  other  burials  were  from  4.5  to 
5 feet  in  depth.  These  burials  were  not  in  pits  extending  from  the  present  surface, 
as  was  shown  by  the  presence  of  unbroken  strata  above  them,  but  lay  in  soil 
darkened  by  the  presence  of  organic  matter,  with  which  were  mingled  midden 
debris  and  remnants  of  fireplaces.  This  deposit  of  soil  evidently  marked  an 
earlier  stage  in  the  growth  of  the  mound  when  it  had  served  as  a place  of  abode 
prior  to  its  increase  in  height.1  Boil  of  a much  lighter  color  and  undisturbed, 
as  we  have  said,  lay  between  the  upper  and  the  lower  dark  layers,  and  this,  no 
doubt,  had  been  brought  when  the  increase  of  the  mound  was  decided  on.  We 
shall  describe  each  burial  in  detail. 

Burial  No.  1,  a bunched  burial  one  foot  in  depth,  measured  from  its  upper 
surface,  included  eleven  skulls,  badly  decayed  and  broken,  as  were  all  the 
human  remains  from  this  mound.  One  of  the  skulls  was  that  of  a child. 

The  bunched  burials  in  this  mound  were  not  symmetrically  piled  as  such 
burials  sometimes  are,  but,  though  limited  in  width,  extended  considerable 
distances. 

Burial  No.  2,  bunched  bones  with  two  skulls,  was  20  inches  down. 

1 A notable  instance  of  this  was  found  by  us  in  one  of  the  great  mounds  of  the  group  at 
Moundville,  Ala. 

3 JOURN.  ACAD.  NAT.  SCI  PHILA.,  VOL. XVI. 


38  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


Burial  No.  3.  At  a depth  of  22  inches,  had  been  two  skeletons  of  adults, 
lying  at  full  length  on  the  back,  the  skulls  together,  the  bodies  radiating  some- 
what. A narrow  pit  from  the  surface,  probably  made  in  recent  times,  perhaps 
a post-hole,  had  removed  the  skulls  and  the  upper  part  of  each  thorax. 

Burial  No.  4,  a bunch  with  one  skull;  depth,  2 feet. 

Burial  No.  5,  a bunched  burial  4.5  feet  from  the  surface,  having  fifteen 
skulls. 

Burials  Nos.  0 and  7.  Each  a bunched  burial  with  one  skull,  at  a depth  of 
10  inches  and  4.5  feet,  respectively. 

Burial  No.  8.  A bunched  burial  having  three  skulls,  5 feet  down. 

If  mortuary  deposits  had  been  made  with  these  burials,  such  deposits 
were  of  a perishable  nature,  since  absolutely  nothing  lay  with  the  skeletal  re- 
mains that  can  be  considered  to  have  been  intentionally  put  in.  With  one  burial 
was  an  unworked  astragalus  of  a deer,  and  with  another,  a small  bit  of  stone 
grooved  by  use  as  a hone.  In  the  soil  near  a burial  was  a graceful  arrowhead 
of  flint,  2 inches  in  length  and  slightly  more  than  .5  inch  in  maximum  diameter, 
the  point  unfortunately  missing. 

Among  the  few  fragments  of  pottery  found  in  the  digging  were  one  with  a 
decoration  of  faint,  trailed  lines,  and  a part  of  a handle,  also  with  line-decora- 
tion, which  evidently  had  extended  at  a right  angle  from  the  rim  of  a vessel. 

On  the  fields  in  which  the  mounds  were  was  considerable  midden  debris, 
especially  on  the  surface  of  Mound  1)  and  on  a slight  rise  nearby.  Some  arrow- 
heads of  flint,  small  and  barbed,  were  found,  and  quantities  of  fragments  of 
pottery  could  be  seen,  including  some  bearing  on  one  side  a uniform  coating  of 
red  pigment.  All  these  were  in  small  fragments,  as  one  would  expect  them  to 
be,  having  been  plowed  up  and  under  through  a long  period  of  years. 

On  the  surface  of  Mound  I)  was  picked  up  a graceful  celt  of  quartzite, 
2.5  inches  in  length. 

Considerable  digging  in  the  field  surrounding  the  mounds  showed  remains 
of  former  occupancy  but  unearthed  no  sign  of  skeletons. 

Mounds  on  the  Hedgeland  Place,  Catahoula  Parish. 

The  Hedgeland  Place,  belonging  to  Mr.  H.  W.  Foeman,  has  two  mounds 
upon  it,  both  in  sight  from  the  landing.  That  nearest  the  water,  about  13  feet 
in  height,  has  been  quadrangular,  but  is  so  greatly  washed  and  worn  that,  meas- 
urements as  to  its  present  diameter  of  base  are  practically  valueless.  One  meas- 
urement gave  125  feet,  but  others,  if  taken,  would  show  marked  variation.  An 
exposed  section  of  this  mound  showed  it  to  be  of  clay,  with  no  evidence  of  use 
for  burial  purposes. 

In  a cultivated  field  is  a mound  10  feet  in  height,  which  has  suffered  to  an 
even  greater  extent  by  the  ravages  of  time.  Two  measurements  gave  diameters 
of  165  feet;  but  this  was  a coincidence,  as  the  basal  outline  was  very  irregular. 
What  remained  of  the  summit-plateau  had  been  used  as  a cemetery  in  recent 
times. 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


39 


Mound  on  the  Mound  Bayou  Place,  Tensas  Parish. 

On  the  Mound  Bayou  Place,  belonging  to  Mr.  A.  Blanche,  who  resides 
upon  it,  is  a mound  about  one-quarter  mile  back  from  the  landing,  slightly  less 
than  12  feet  in  height.  This  mound,  which  borders  the  road,  is  quadrangular, 
the  basal  diameters  being  130  and  110  feet;  those  of  the  summit-plateau,  60  and 
40  feet  in  the  same  directions.  The  sides  of  this  mound  do  not  face  the  cardinal 
points,  nor  are  its  corners  directed  toward  them.  As  the  summit-plateau  of 
this  mound  had  been  used  extensively  for  burials  in  recent  years,  no  digging 
into  it  was  attempted. 

Aci  ’oss  the  road  from  the  mound,  in  a cultivated  field,  was  a small  rise  into 
which  we  dug  unsuccessfully. 

Mounds  on  the  Lee  Place,  Tensas  Parish. 

In  a cultivated  field  in  sight  from  Lee  Landing,  on  property  belonging  to 
Mrs.  C.  L.  Lee,  of  Gilbert,  La.,  is  a circular  mound  4 feet  in  height  and  65  feet 
in  diameter  of  base.  Nearer  the  landing,  beside  the  road,  is  a somewhat  smaller 
mound  on  which  stands  a building  intended  for  cattle.  We  were  informed  that 
both  these  mounds  had  been  made  in  recent  times  as  places  of  refuge  in  high 
water. 

Mound  at  Fool  River,  Madison  Parish. 

An  angle  formed  by  the  union  of  Fool  river  with  the  Tensas  is  much  higher 
ground  than  is  any  neighboring  territory,  and  for  this  reason,  and  because  bits 
of  pottery  lie  on  the  surface  there,  the  whole  of  this  high  place  has  been  called 
an  Indian  mound  by  lumbermen  and  others  who  occasionally  use  it  as  a camping 
place  and  whose  numerous  Masks,  drained  of  their  spirituous  contents,  scattered 
over  the  ground  are  about  the  only  sign  of  the  civilization  of  the  white  man  to 
be  seen  for  miles  around. 

That  this  high  ground  is  a natural  formation  is  clearly  shown  by  a wide 
section  exposed  by  the  wash  of  Tensas  river.  On  the  alluvial  clay,  however,  is  a 
thin,  superficial  stratum  caused  by  aboriginal  occupancy,  in  which  is  the  usual 
midden  debris — hence  the  sherds  found  on  the  surface. 

About  fifty  yards  back  from  the  Tensas  river,  on  this  elevated  ground,  is 
an  irregularly  circular  mound,  about  100  feet  in  diameter  and  somewhat  more 
than  4 feet  in  height. 

Each  of  seven  trial-holes  sunk  into  this  mound  almost  at  once  encountered 
human  remains,  which  were  found  in  such  quantities  in  the  three  trial-holes 
first  investigated  that  these  were  greatly  enlarged  and  carefully  examined,  the 
digging  out  of  the  remaining  burials  being  dispensed  with. 

The  upper  part  of  the  mound  was  composed  of  a layer  about  16  inches  in 
depth,  dark  in  shade,  perhaps  from  having  been  gathered  from  the  nearby 
swamp,  but  containing  no  midden  debris  whatever.  Below  this  was  a stratum 
of  soil  black  from  admixture  of  organic  matter,  3 feet  4 inches  deep  (of  course 


40  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


the  depth  of  these  layers  varied  somewhat  locally),  in  which  were  quantities  of 
broken  mussel-shells,  some  fragments  of  pottery  and  of  bones  of  lower  animals, 
and  a few  fireplaces.  It  was  clear  that  this  lower  layer,  which  rested  upon 
undisturbed  clay,  had  been  a dwelling-site  to  which  an  addition  had  been  made. 

Burials  were  present  in  both  layers,  but  no  signs  of  pits  were  apparent,  and 
if  any  had  been  made  from  the  present  surface  of  the  mound  into  the  lower  layer, 
they  would  have  been  filled  with  a mixture  containing  shells  and  other  debris. 

A number  of  burials  lay  immediately  on  top  of  the  lower  layer,  so  that  it 
seems  likely  that  those  living  on  the  original,  or  under,  layer  buried  in  it  for  a 
period,  and  that  at  some  time  the  contents  of  the  bone-house  had  been  spread 
over  the  surface  of  the  original  mound  and  the  upper  layer  of  clay  had  been 
placed  upon  them.  By  far  the  greater  number  of  burials,  however,  seemed  to 
be  in  the  lower  part  of  the  mound,  which  probably  had  been  built  up  throughout 
a long  period  of  occupancy. 

Judging  from  the  three  excavations  made  by  us,  the  lower  part  of  the  mound 
had  been  buried  into  to  such  an  extent  that  in  places  it  had  become  a complete 
entanglement  of  bones.  The  burials  found,  none  of  which  was  deeper  than  about 
3 feet,  included  sixty-six  skulls,  thirteen  of  which  had  belonged  to  children  or 
infants. 

The  form  of  burial,  in  the  main,  had  been  at  full  length  on  the  back  (one 
skeleton  lay  extended,  face  down),  but  to  such  an  extent  had  grave  cut  through 
grave  in  this  mound  that  only  parts  of  many  extended  burials  remained,  the 
rest  of  the  skeletons  being  mixed  in  the  contents  of  the  disturbing  graves. 

Also  in  this  mound  it  had  been  the  custom,  when  interring  a skeleton  the 
bones  of  which  probably  were  held  together  by  ligaments  at  the  time,  to  gather 
up  and  put  with  this  burial  a quantity  of  loose  bones  belonging  probably  to 
some  who  had  died  at  an  earlier  period.  For  example,  one  extended  burial  in 
the  mound  had  beside  it  and  above  it  a mingling  of  bones  belonging  to  skeletons 
of  two  adults  and  of  one  child. 

With  all  the  skeletal  remains  removed  by  us  from  this  mound  was  not  an 
artifact  of  any  kind.  Scattered  in  the  midden  debris  were  a few  small  fragments 
of  pottery,  several  bearing  decoration  of  incised,  parallel  lines  and  two  having  a 
uniform  coating  of  red  pigment. 

For  some  reason,  stone  of  any  kind  was,  so  far  as  our  investigation  went, 
of  extreme  rarity  in  the  mound;  only  in  one  instance  (a  fractured  pebble)  was 
any  encountered. 

A mound  on  the  bank  of  the  Tensas,  about  in  line  with  the  preceding  one, 
3 feet  high  and  60  feet  in  diameter,  proved  to  be  of  clay  and  contained  no  burials 
so  far  as  could  bo  determined. 

Mounds  near  Indian  Bayou,  Madison  Parish. 

Part  of  the  extensive  property  on  Tensas  river,  belonging  to  Mr.  A.  E. 
Hinds,  who  lives  near  Indian  bayou,  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  that  stream 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS.  41 


and  on  the  east  by  Tensas  river.  Near  Mr.  Hinds’  residence  are  four  mounds 
and  a small  rise  by  the  roadside,  all  near  together  and  in  sight  from  the  river. 
The  mounds  have  each  a building  upon  it,  and  three  of  them,  originally  small, 
have  been  so  worn  and  washed  that  they  arc  of  inconsiderable  size. 

The  largest  mound,  which  has  been  square,  with  the  sides  facing  the  cardinal 
points,  has  rounded  corners  at  present,  but  is  otherwise  well  preserved.  The 
height  is  12  feet  8 inches;  the  diameter  of  base  is  about  140  feet.  The  summit- 
plateau  is  50  feet  in  diameter. 

Owing  to  the  presence  of  buildings,  these  mounds  were  not  dug  into  by  us. 

Following  the  Tensas  river  northward  about  half  a mile  to  Indian  bayou, 
one  comes  upon  a group  of  eight  mounds  in  woods,  which  form  an  irregular  ellipse 
with  two  mounds  facing  each  other  and  three  mounds  on  each  side.  This 
ellipse  is  about  88  yards  by  54  yards,  interior  measurement,  and  the  mounds 
which  compose  it  are  visible  from  the  banks  of  the  stream,  some  of  the  mounds 
in  fact  bordering  the  water.  These  mounds,  which  are  very  irregular  in  outline, 
are  of  moderate  size,  the  northernmost  being  7 feet  6 inches  in  height  and  120 
feet  by  135  feet  in  diameters  of  base. 

These  mounds  for  convenience  were  assigned  letters  of  the  alphabet,  be- 
ginning with  the  largest  mound,  A,  and  continuing  in  order  through  the  western 
side  of  the  ellipse  and  then  along  the  eastern  side  bordering  the  water.  As  the 
mounds  on  Mr.  Hinds’  place  are  the  only  refuge  in  the  case  of  high  water,  we 
did  not  consider  it  fair  to  dig  into  them  to  any  great  extent,  though  Mr.  Hinds, 
with  great  courtesy,  placed  no  restrictions  upon  us.  All.  however,  were  dug  into 
to  a greater  or  less  extent,  some  giving  evidence  of  being  made  of  raw  clay,  pre- 
sumably without  burials. 

Mound  C,  about  2 feet  in  height,  however,  had  scattered  fragments  of 
mussel-shells  mingled  with  the  soil  that  composed  it.  The  skeleton  of  an  adult, 
extended  on  the  back,  was  found  in  this  mound  at  a depth  of  28  inches. 

Mound  E,  on  the  bank  of  the  stream,  has  been  undermined  slightly  by  the 
water  and  has,  at  the  opposite  side,  a road  passing  over  it.  Two  diameters  of 
its  irregular  basal  outline  were  77  and  90  feet.  Its  height  is  5 feet. 

Two  recent  burials  have  been  made  in  this  mound,  so  that  our  digging  in  it 
was  somewhat  restricted.  Aboriginal  burials  in  numbers  were  reached  almost 
at  once  by  trial-holes,  which  showed  the  mound  to  be  composed  approximately 
of  a superficial  layer  of  dark  soil  mingled  with  organic  matter  and  quantities  of 
fragments  of  mussel-shells.  Below  this  layer  was  a stratum  of  light-brown  clay, 
2 feet  8 inches  in  depth,  which  showed  no  admixture  indicating  former  aboriginal 
occupancy.  Below  the  clay  was  a stratum  1 foot  8 inches  in  depth  containing 
organic  matter  and  broken  mussel-shells,  but  to  a less  extent  than  did  the  super- 
ficial layer.  Below  this  was  undisturbed  clay. 

This  mound,  then,  had  been  a dwelling-site;  had  been  increased  in  size 
and  then  had  been  occupied  for  a further  period  as  a place  of  abode.  The 
burials  had  all  been  made  from  the  top  layer  into  the  stratum  of  clay  below  it, 


42  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


and  could  be  easily  traced  by  means  of  the  black  soil  introduced  into  the  clay 
from  above. 

The  burials  from  t his  place  were  of  the  kind  we  have  just  described  in  con- 
nection with  the  mound  at  the  mouth  of  Fool  river,  which  is  some  miles  below 
Indian  bayou,  having  been  burials  at  length,  with  loose  bones  around  them,  and 
irregular  piles  of  bones  of  considerable  extent.  In  all,  forty-four  skulls,  two  of 
which  had  belonged  to  children,  were  encountered,  in  poor  condition. 

With  one  burial  were:  a small  undecorated  bowl;  a pot  of  moderate  size, 
having  by  way  of  decoration  a few  vertical  and  diagonal  incised  lines.  The 
bowl  rested  on  a disk  of  ferruginous  sandstone,  2.5  inches  in  diameter,  pitted  on 
each  side. 

With  another  burial  was  a pebble  1.5  inch  in  diameter,  on  which  rude  facets 
had  been  worked. 

No  other  artifacts  were  found  with  burials  or  apart  from  bones. 

Our  search  for  burials  in  other  mounds  of  this  group  was  unsuccessful. 

BAYOU  MACON,  LOUISIANA.1 

Bayou  Mai;on  (the  map  showing  sites  on  Bayou  Magon  is  included  with 
that  of  Tensas  river,  which  precedes)  rises  in  southeastern  Arkansas,  not  far 
from  Mississippi  river,  and  flows  in  a southerly  direction,  passing  into  the  state 
of  Louisiana,  where  it  continues  in  the  same  direction  until  its  junction  with 
Tensas  river. 

The  stream  flows  through  comparatively  low,  alluvial  land,  considerably 
higher  on  the  western  side  so  far  as  our  investigation  extended,  on  which  side  of 
the  stream  the  most  important  sites  arc  to  be  found. 

Bayou  A I agon  is  reported  navigable  from  its  mouth  to  the  town  of  Floyd, 
La.,  a distance  of  1 12  miles,  following  the  course  of  the  stream.  It  was  explored 
in  advance  by  our  agents,  Captain  Platt  and  a companion,  from  Floyd  to  its 
union  with  Tensas  river,  and  was  investigated  by  us  over  the  same  extent. 

Though  no  attention  has  been  given  by  the  United  States  government  to 
the  removal  of  snags  or  of  overhanging  trees  from  the  bayou  farther  up  than  fix' 
town  of  Floyd,  yet  with  the  high  water  in  the  bayou  at  the  time  of  our  visit,  no 
doubt  with  care  and  with  effort  our  journey  could  have  been  considerably  length- 
ened, had  it  not  been  that  the  stream  a short  distance  above  Floyd  was  hope- 
lessly blocked,  so  far  as  our  limited  force  was  concerned,  by  a long-time  accumu- 
lation of  driftwood. 

On  the  whole,  our  investigation  of  Bayou  Magon  was  disappointing.  The 
stream  is  not  far  to  the  eastward  of  Bayou  Bartholomew  and  Ouachita  river, 
along  which  were  found  by  us  the  most  beautiful  aboriginal  pottery  known  from 
the  Mississippi  valley,  as  to  which  exact  data  are  to  be  had.  Such  earthenware 
as  was  found  by  us  along  the  bayou  was  not  of  a kind  to  uphold  the  high  repu- 
tation of  the  best  aboriginal  ware  from  the  lower  Mississippi  region. 

1 The  part  of  Bayou  Magon  investigated  by  us  is  in  Louisiana. 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS.  43 


The  most  interesting  part  of  Bayou  Mat;on,  speaking  from  an  archaeological 
point  of  view,  is,  so  far  as  our  investigation  extended,  the  great  aboriginal  site 
at  Poverty  Point  below  the  town  of  Floyd,  the  height  of  whose  principal  mound, 
70  feet,  in  this  part  of  Louisiana,  is  a revelation1  to  archaeologists. 


Sites  Investigated. 
Hopeka  Plantation,  Catahoula  Parish. 

On  Dean  Lake,  Franklin  Parish. 

Near  Cut-off  Landing,  Catahoula  Parish. 

The  Hickingbottom  Place,  Franklin  Parish. 

The  Brannin  Place,  Franklin  Parish. 

Near  Turkey  Point  Landing,  Franklin  Parish. 

The  Canebrake  Mounds,  Madison  Parish. 

The  Mott  Place,  Franklin  Parish. 

Near  Hope  Landing,  Madison  Parish. 

The  Montgomery  Place,  Madison  Parish. 

The  Stevens  Place,  Madison  Parish. 

The  Insley  Place,  Franklin  Parish. 

The  Mound  Place,  Madison  Parish. 

The  Lake  Place,  Madison  Parish. 

The  Crowroot  Place,  Madison  Parish. 

The  Richardson  Place,  East  Carroll  Parish. 

Near  Lower  Jackson  Landing,  West  Carroll  Parish. 
The  Jackson  Place,  West  Carroll  Parish. 

Poverty  Point,  West  Carroll  Parish. 

Motley  Place,  West  Carroll  Parish. 


Hopeka  Plantation,  Catahoula  Parish. 

Hopeka  Plantation,  near  the  union  of  Bayou  Maijon  with  Tensas 
the  property  of  Messrs.  II.  A C.  Newman,  of  New 
Orleans. 

On  the  lower  part  of  Hopeka  Plantation  is  a 
field  in  which  are  several  low  rises  whose  surfaces 
are  thickly  strewn  with  bits  of  pottery  and  fragments 
of  flint.  Among  t hese  were  a few  slender  arrowheads 
of  flint.  Also  on  the  surface  was  found  one  of  those 
objects  of  earthenware  belonging  to  the  class  shown 
in  Plate  II.  This  one,  of  the  double  cone  variety 
(Fig.  15),  is  especially  interesting  from  the  fact  that 
a groove  has  been  made  around  one  part  of  it. 


river,  is 


Flo.  1">. — Object  of  earthenware. 
Hopeka  Plantation.  (Full  size.) 


1 This  site  is  referred  to  in  Thomas’  “Catalogue  of  Prehistoric  Works,”  p.  104,  in  which  no 
height  is  mentioned.  There  is  a reference,  however,  to  Prof.  Samuel  H.  Lockett,  Smithsonian 
Report,  1872,  pp.  429,  430,  where  the  site  is  briefly  described,  but  the  height  of  the  great  mound 
is  not  given. 


44 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


Two  of  the  rises  were  dug  into,  one  of  which  had  on  the  surface  crowns  of 
human  teeth,  but  no  indications  of  burials  were  found  in  either  rise  and  it  was 
evident  that  their  former  contents  had  been  plowed  away. 

On  the  upper  part  of  the  plantation,  in  a cultivated  field,  near  the  water, 
is  considerable  dark  soil  with  fragments  of  pottery,  bits  of  flint,  and  arrowheads 
of  the  same  material,  broken  and  whole,  on  the  surface.  Trial-holes,  however, 
failed  to  unearth  any  signs  of  interments. 

Still  farther  up  on  the  plantation,  in  sight  from  the  water,  is  an  irregular 
eminence  with  a wide  trench,  or  barrow-pit,  surrounding  it.  Although  we  were 
confident  that  this  mound  was  modern,  both  on  account  of  its  shape  and  the 
presence  of  the  barrow-pit,  we  did  a small  amount  of  digging  which  came  upon 
raw  clay.  We  were  informed  also,  by  persons  living  on  and  near  the  plantation, 
that  the  mound  was  believed  to  have  been  made  comparatively  recently  to 
afford  refuge  for  cattle  in  periods  of  high  water. 

Mound  on  Dean  Lake,  Franklin  Parish. 

On  Dean  lake,  which  is  probably  only  a former  course  of  Bayou  Ma^on, 
is  a mound  which  may  be  reached  by  going  about  two  miles  in  a northerly  di- 
rection from  Kimball  Landing  on  Bayou  Magon. 

The  mound,  the  name  of  whose  owner  we  were  unable  to  learn,  is  about  100 
yards  from  the  eastern  bank  of  Dean  lake,  in  woods  which  one  should  enter 
about  one-third  up  the  lake  from  its  southern  end.  The  mound,  3.5  feet  in 
height,  is  roughly  circular,  with  a diameter  of  about  80  feet.  It  has  been  greatly 
trampled  by  cattle. 

Seven  trial-holes  showed  the  mound  to  have  a thin  surface  layer  of  dark  soil 
and  to  be  otherwise  of  yellow  clay,  except  where  dark  earth  from  the  surface 
filled  pits.  A base-line  was  present  at  a depth  of  about  4 feet. 

Seven  burials  were  reached  by  the  trial-holes,  which  were  much  enlarged 
before  the  interments  were  removed. 

Burial  No.  1,  a bunch  extending  down  from  the  surface,  included  twenty- 
four  skulls.  This  grave  contained  dark,  superficial  soil  continuing  down  from 
the  surface. 

Burial  No.  2 was  of  the  bunched  variety  with  one  cranium.  This  burial 
was  in  yellow  clay,  and  apparently  had  been  made  during  the  formation  of  the 
mound,  as  none  of  the  dark  soil  of  the  surface  was  around  it. 

Burial  No.  3,  a bunch  having  thirteen  skulls,  6 inches  down.  With  this 
burial  were  two  bicave  stones  of  quartzite,  respectively  2.3  inches  and  2.2  inches 
in  diameter,  and  a small  drill  of  flint. 

Burial  No.  4,  a bunched  burial  with  four  skulls,  lay  15  inches  down,  in  un- 
disturbed, yellow  clay.  In  association  was  a small  lump  of  sandstone. 

Burial  No.  5,  just  below  the  surface,  was  a bunch  having  nine  crania. 

Burial  No.  fi,  a bunched  burial  with  a single  skull,  lay  18  inches  down,  in 
undisturbed,  yellow  clay. 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS.  4.5 

Burial  No.  7.  This  burial,  a hunch  with  a single  skull,  was  in  the  yellow 
clay,  22  inches  from  the  surface. 

Mounds  near  Cut-off  Landing,  Catahoula  Parish. 

By  the  side  of  a disused  highroad,  about  250  yards  in  a westerly  direction 
from  Cut-off  Landing,  on  property  belonging  to  Mr.  H.  A.  Lewis,  of  Wisner,  La., 
is  a small  remant  of  a mound,  the  remainder  of  which  has  fallen  into  the  Cut-off, 
a bayou  entering  Bayou  Ma^on  nearby. 

Four  holes  sunk  into  this  remnant  (about  all  it  would  accommodate)  each 
came  upon  skeletal  remains,  five  burials  in  all  being  encountered.  Of  these, 
three  were  bunched  burials,  the  bones  all  badly  decayed,  not  arranged  in  piles 
but  forming  long  and  comparatively  narrow  deposits.  One  of  these  burials  had 
sixteen  skulls;  one  had  nine  skulls,  three  of  which  had  belonged  to  children; 
and  one  had  two  skulls,  one  of  which  was  that  of  a child.  There  were  also  two 
full-length  burials  of  adults,  extended  on  the  back.  All  these  burials  were 
without  mortuary  deposit  of  any  kind. 

About  one-quarter  mile  westwardly  from  Cut-off  Landing,  in  a fallow  field 
also  belonging  to  Mr.  Lewis,  is  a mound  1 1 feet  in  height,  which  has  been  so 
subjected  to  wash  of  rain  (the  earth  having  perhaps  been  loosened  by  trampling 
of  cattle)  that  the  sides  are  furrowed  to  such  an  extent  that  the  mound  has  no 
regularity  of  outline.  Measurements  taken  in  two  directions  gave  respectively 
as  diameters  of  base  127  feet  and  118  feet,  but  other  measurements,  we  are  con- 
vinced, would  show  a more  marked  divergence. 

Seven  trial-holes  put  down  in  the  upper  parts  of  the  mound  went  through 
mixed  soil  to  a depth  of  slightly  more  than  3 feet  where  they  reached  a layer  of 
dark  material  9 inches  thick.  Below  this  layer  was  hard,  yellow  clay  containing 
no  admixture. 

Evidently  this  mound  had  been  constructed  to  a certain  height  and  then  had 
served  as  a place  of  domicile  for  a considerable  time,  as  evidenced  by  the  dark 
layer.  Later  the  mound  had  been  increased  in  height  by  about  3 feet,  not  by  the 
addition  of  clay  dug  from  one  place,  but  gathered  here  and  there  superficially. 
No  sign  of  interment  was  encountered. 

About  one-half  mile  above  Gut-off  Landing,  on  the  bank  of  the  bayou,  is 
the  home  of  Mr.  E.  L.  Lewis.  A short  distance  from  the  house,  by  the  side  of  a 
road  which  has  cut  a part  from  it,  is  an  irregular  rise  about  2 feet  in  height  and 
so  worn  and  washed  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  distinguish  the  mound  from 
the  surrounding  area.  Considerable  digging  into  this  rise  showed  it  to  be  com- 
posed of  raw  clay.  No  evidence  of  artificial  origin  was  encountered. 

Mound  on  the  Hickingbottom  Place,  Franklin  Parish. 

In  woods  belonging  to  Mr.  Louis  Hickingbottom,  residing  nearby,  is  a 
mound,  1 foot  9 inches  in  height,  in  sight  from  the  stream.  The  outline  is 
irregular.  Two  diameters  were  75  feet  and  95  feet.  This  mound  apparently 
had  been  built  for  residential  purposes,  as  no  sign  of  interments  was  discovered. 


46  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


Mound  on  the  Brannin  Place,  Franklin  Parish. 

In  a cultivated  field  forming  part  of  the  Brannin  Place,  of  which  Messrs. 
E.  H.  Ratcliff  and  W.  J.  Feltus,  of  Natchez,  Miss.,  are  proprietors,  is  a very 
symmetrical  mound,  15  feet  in  height,  in  full  view  from  the  water.  Its  basal 
diameters  are,  respectively,  N.  and  S.,  143  feet;  E.  and  \Y.,  122  feet.  The  diam- 
eters of  the  summit-plateau  in  the  same  directions  are  80  feet  and  60  feet.  The 
sides  of  the  mound  face  the  cardinal  points.  The  mound,  so  far  as  our  trial-holes 
could  determine,  is  of  raw  clay  and  contains  no  trace  of  burials.  There  are 
almost  no  signs  of  former  aboriginal  occupancy  in  the  surrounding  fields. 

Mounds  near  Turkey  Point  Landing,  Franklin  Parish. 

In  sight  from  Turkey  Point  Landing,  in  a cultivated  field  belonging  to  Mr. 
A.  M.  Scott,  who  lives  farther  inland,  is  a mound  with  circular  base,  somewhat 
more  than  3 feet  in  height  when  measured  from  the  outside,  but  showing  a 
total  depth  of  about  4 feet  when  the  measurement  was  taken  by  means  of  a 
trial-hole  from  the  surface  to  a dark  stratum  presumably  the  original  base. 

The  mound,  which  has  been  plowed  over  for  a considerable  time,  and  across 
part  of  which  a private  road  passes,  is  composed  wholly  of  dark  soil.  Its  diameter 
was  about  95  feet.  In  the  southwestern  part  of  this  mound  were  numerous 
burials.  Of  eleven  trial-holes  put  down,  seven  in  this  part  of  the  mound  and 
near  it  came  upon  human  remains,  and  in  removing  these,  other  burials  were 
found,  making  the  total  number  thirty-six,  all  very  badly  decayed. 

Of  these  thirty-six  burials,  which  seem  to  have  been  interred  in  graves  from 
the  surface  and  none  of  which  lay  at  a depth  greater  than  26  inches,  seventeen 
were  extended  at  full  length  on  the  back;  sixteen  were  bunched  burials;  and  three 
were  remains  disturbed  by  the  plow.  None  of  the  bunched  burials  had  more  than 
three  skulls,  though  several  of  the  larger  burials  of  this  class,  which  had  been 
somewhat  disturbed  by  cultivation  on  the  mound,  may  have  had  more  than 
that  number  originally. 

Various  artifacts,  mostly  vessels  of  earthenware,  lay  with  some  of  the  burials 
of  both  classes. 

With  a bunched  burial  was  an  undecorated,  laconical  pipe  of  earthenware, 
quadrangular  in  cross-section,  a very  ordinary  type. 

With  another  bunched  burial  were  three  ear-plugs  of  clavstone,  not  directly 
with  the  skull  but  near  other  bones.  These  ear-plugs,  having  cylindrical  bodies 
with  heads,  include  a pair,  undecorated,  each  2.1  inches  in  length.  The  other, 
2.2  inches  long,  has  two  incised,  concentric  circles  on  the  head  and  an  incised 
line  surrounding  the  shank  near  the  end. 

A small,  rough  arrowhead  or  knife,  of  flint,  also  lay  near  bones. 

Thirty-seven  earthenware  vessels,  or  large  parts  of  them,  (evidently  some 
of  the  vessels  had  been  struck  in  plowing),  lay  with  the  burials,  usually  with  the 
skulls,  even  in  the  case  of  bunched  burials,  several  vessels  in  some  instances  with 
a single  burial.  Numerous  interments,  however,  were  without  artifact  of  any  kind. 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS.  47 


Fie;.  1(>. — Vessel  of  earthenware.  Near  Turkey  Point  Landing.  (Height  3 inches.) 


Fiu  17. — Vessel  of  earthenware.  Near  Turkey  Point  Landing.  (Height  4.5  inches.) 


48  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


The  earthenware  at  this  place,  tempered  as  a rule  with  coarse  sand  or  fine 
gravel,  is  without  polish,  save  in  two  or  three  instances  where  an  attempt  has 
been  made  to  confer  it,  and  is  soft,  presumably  through  insufficient  firing.  The 
forms  in  nearly  every  instance  embrace  the  bowl  and  the  pot  and  vessels  between 
the  two.  The  bottle  appears  but  once — small  with  a wide  mouth.  A pentagonal 
base  separated  from  the  rest  of  the  vessel  was  present. 


Fig.  IS. — Vessel  of  earthenware.  Near  Turkey  Point  Landing.  (Diani.  4.3  inches.) 

As  might  be  expected  in  the  lower  Mississippi  region,  the  vessels  are  sym- 
metrical, the  ware  is  fairly  thin,  and  a large  proportion  of  them  bear  decoration, 
though  the  artistic  aspiration  that  prompted  the  adornment  of  the  ware  was 
decidedly  lacking  in  the  skill  or  care  necessary  to  its  realization,  much  of  the 
decoration,  most  of  which  is  incised,  being  faint  and  with  irregular  line-work. 
Parallel  lines,  and  curved  lines  including  the  scroll,  predominate.  No  attempt 
at  coloring  is  exhibited. 

Several  of  the  better  vessels  from  this  mound  are  shown  in  Figs.  16,  17,  18, 
19,  not  because  they  present  any  special  feature  of  interest,  but  to  illustrate  the 
earthenware  of  the  place.  One  pot,  fully  equal  to  any  of  them,  is  omitted  from 
the  illustrations  as  in  shape  and  in  decoration  (a  scroll  design  on  the  body  and 
parallel  lines  on  the  neck)  it  is  almost  exactly  similar  to  one  found  by  us  at 
Seven  Pines  Landing,  Morehouse  Parish,  on  Bayou  Bartholomew,  La.1  This 
vessel  from  the  Turkey  Point  mound  has  been  sent  as  a gift  to  the  United  States 
National  Museum. 

Presumably  a large  number  of  burials  remained  in  the  mound  when  our 
investigation  came  to  an  end,  as  additional  digging  was  not  desirable  in  view  of 
the  rising  river. 

Two  small  rises  of  the  ground,  respectively  on  properties  of  Messrs.  T.  S. 
Knight  and  N.  H.  Hill,  not  far  north  of  the  mound  on  the  Scott  Place,  were  dug 
into  by  us  without  success. 

1 “Antiquities  of  the  Ouachita  Valley,”  Fig.  172.  Journ.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  of  Phila.,  Vol.  XIV. 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS.  49 


Fin.  19. — Vessel  of  earthenware.  Near  Turkey  Point  Landing.  (Height  3.8  inches.) 

The  Ganebrake  Mounds,  Madison  Parish. 

In  canebrake  and  woods  are  three  mounds  which  we  shall  call  A,  B and  C, 
respectively. 

Mound  A is  the  first  reached  by  one  ascending  the  river,  and  as  is  also  the 
case  with  Mound  B,  is  less  than  fifty  yards  from  the  water  and  visible  from  it 
when  foliage  does  not  intervene,  though  one  seeking  these  mounds  had  best 
obtain  a guide. 

The  mounds,  beside  each  of  which  was  a depression  containing  water  at  the 
time  of  our  visit,  are  situated  in  respect  to  each  other  as  follows: 

From  the  center  of  A to  the  center  of  B (so  nearly  as  the  centers  of  mounds 
shaped  so  irregularly  as  these  were  could  be  determined)  was  297  feet  49°  30'  E. 
of  N.;  from  the  center  of  A to  the  center  of  C was  215  feet  1°  30'  S.  of  E.;  from 
the  center  of  B to  the  center  of  C,  207  feet  3°  W.  of  S. 

The  mounds,  which  are  a favorite  resort  of  cattle  and  which,  no  doubt, 
had  been  somewhat  trampled  down  by  them  and  washed  by  rain,  had  approxi- 
mately the  following  dimensions: 

Mound  A,  height,  4.5  feet;  diameters,  75  feet  and  100  feet. 

Mound  B,  height,  3.5  feet;  diameter,  95  feet. 

Mound  C,  height,  4.5  feet;  diameter,  about  85  feet. 

Mound  A had  a base-line  about  8 inches  thick,  no  doubt  marking  the  original 
surface.  Beneath  this  line  was  a yellow-grav  mixture  of  sand  and  clay,  showing 
no  disturbance.  Above  the  base-line  was  yellow  clay  about  26  inches  in  thick- 


50  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 

ness  in  the  central  part  of  the  mound.  Then  above,  came  slightly  more  than  2 
feet  of  dark  soil,  mainly  clay  discolored  by  admixture  of  organic  matter.  Doubt- 
less the  mound  had  been  made  of  yellow  clay  and  then  dwelt  upon  while  the 
upper  layer  of  2 feet,  in  which  were  fragments  of  mussel-shells  and  other  debris, 
was  forming. 


Fio.  20. — Vessel  of  earthenware.  Canebrake  mounds.  (Diam.  5.5  inches.) 

Seven  large  trial-holes  came  upon  human  remains  in  one  instance  only. 
In  the  center  of  the.  mound,  38  inches  down,  were  the  legs  and  feet  of  a skeleton, 
extended  and  in  anatomical  order.  These  bones  were  well  preserved,  without 
break  and  in  marked  contrast  to  all  the  other  bones  found  elsewhere  at  this 
place,  which  were  so  decayed  that  they  were  often  represented  by  friable  frag- 
ments only. 

The  bones  in  Mound  A did  not  seem  to  lie  in  a grave,  nor,  so  far  as  we  could 
determine,  had  another  grave  cut  off  the  part  of  the  skeleton  that  was  missing. 
Much  digging  was  done  in  all  directions  around  the  bones,  showing  the  basal 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


51 


layer  beneath  to  be  undisturbed.  Some  distance  from  the  other  bones  was 
part  of  a left  radius  in  equally  good  condition.  Presumably  there  had  been  some 
disturbance. 

In  other  parts  of  the  mound  were  an  arrowhead  of  flint  with  shoulders  and 
a stem,  and  that  part  of  an  earthenware  platform,  or  “monitor,”  pipe,  in  which 
the  hole  is  present,  having  a small  part  of  the  bowl. 

Presumably  Mound  A was  domiciliary  in  the  main. 

Mound  B was  variously  composed.  Seemingly  it  had  been  built  upon  a 
dwelling-site  of  very  dark  soil  containing  some  mussel-shells.  Tins  dark, 
basal  part  was  reached  at  different  depths.  Above  this  was  the  later  mound, 
in  places  made  of  dark  soil,  in  other  parts  of  a clay  lighter  in  shade. 

Burials  in  this  mound  cut  through  no  layer,  but  lay  in  and  under  homoge- 
neous material  so  that  it  was  impossible  to  distinguish  pits. 

Fourteen  trial-holes,  some  of  which  were  much 
enlarged  after  the  discovery  of  burials,  resulted  in 
the  finding  of  seventeen  interments,  the  deepest 
lying  32  inches  from  the  surface,  as  follows:  ex- 
tended on  the  back,  two;  bunched  burials,  fifteen. 

Of  the  bunched  burials  four  were  without 
skulls;  one  had  a single  skull;  seven  were  with 
two  crania  each;  one  included  five  skulls;  one,  ten 

« 

skulls;  one,  eleven  skulls. 

The  only  object  with  the  dead,  other  than 
pottery  vessels,  was  a biconical  pipe  of  earthen- 
ware, quadrangular  in  cross  section,  of  such  infe- 
rior material  that  parts  adhered  to  surrounding 
clay  when  the  pipe  was  removed. 

A disintegrating  pipe  of  limestone,  of  the  same 
form  as  the  one  just  described,  was  found  in  clay  Fig.  21—  Dor  •oration  on  base.  (Full 

that  had  been  thrown  out  in  digging  and  presum-  size-) 

ably  had  been  with  an  interment. 

Thirty-four  vessels,  nearly  all  of  coarse  ware,  of  which  only  two  were  un- 
broken, lay  with  the  burials,  usually  near  the  skulls.  All  but  five  bear  decoration 
of  some  kind,  though,  as  a rule,  it  is  unambitious  and  of  inferior  execution.  One 
symmetrical  vessel  of  excellent  ware,  globular,  with  flat  base  and  short  neck 
(Fig.  20),  bears  on  the  body  an  incised  decoration  consisting  of  four  scrolls 
radiating  from  circles,  with  triangles  filling  in  the  design.  While  the  execution 
of  this  design  is  not  equal  to  the  highest  standard  of  the  lower  Mississippi  region, 
it  is  nevertheless  well  done,  and  the  vessel  as  a whole  is  far  above  average  work. 
Precisely  the  same  decoration,  though  the  shape  of  the  vessel  is  different,  is  on 
one  found  by  us  in  a mound  at  Glass,1  Miss.,  in  which  some  exquisite  examples  of 

1 “Some  Aboriginal  Sites  on  Mississippi  River,”  Fig.  8.  Journ.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  of  Phila., 
Vol.  XIV. 


52  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


the  potter’s  art  were  found.  The  vessel  from  the  Canebrake  mound  has  addi- 
tionally, however,  an  incised  design  on  the  base,  shown  in  Fig.  21. 

A bottle1  from  this  mound,  which  has  seen  much  better  days  and  at  one  time 
may  have  presented  a rather  striking  appearance,  still  bears  traces,  on  upright 
bands,  of  cream,  black,  and  red,  alternately. 

Polychrome  decoration  on  pottery  is  seldom  found  south  of  Arkansas  river. 


Fig.  22. — Vessel  of  earthenware.  Canebrake  mounds.  (Height  9.1  inches.) 


( 'ertain  other  vessels  from  this  mound  are  shown  in  Figs.  22,  23,  24. 
Mound  C was  of  black  soil  above  a base-line  about  6 inches  in  thickness, 
in  which  were  mussel-shells  and  other  debris.  Below  the  base-line  was  an  un- 
disturbed mixture  of  sand  and  clay.  Above  the  black  part  of  the  mound  was  a 
superficial  layer  of  mixed,  yellow  clay.  Both  the  upper  and  lower  parts  of  the 
mound  varied  somewhat  in  depth,  and  it  was  evident  that  the  lower  part  had 


1 Given  by  us,  with  other  vessels,  to  the  Louisiana  State  Museum,  New  Orleans,  La. 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


53 


been  made  and  lived  upon  and  that  later  the  mixed,  yellow  clay  had  been  placed 
above  it  and  around  it  so  that  the  depth  of  this  yellow  clay  was  greatest  at  the 
marginal  parts  of  the  mound.  Measurements  taken  nearly  at  the  center  of  the 
mound  showed  the  upper  layer  of  yellow  clay  to  be  about  2 feet  thick,  and  the 
dark  soil  beneath  it  to  have  a thickness  of  about  3.5  feet. 


Fig.  23. — Vessel  of  earthenware.  Canehrake  mounds.  (Height  4.7  inches.) 


Eleven  trial-holes,  some  of  which,  later,  were  greatly  increased  in  size,  were 
carried  down  to  and  below  the  base  of  the  mound,  reaching  first  and  last,  nineteen 
burials,  the  deepest  3 feet  8 inches  from  the  surface,  and  all  in  the  black,  lower 
layer. 

All  these  burials  had  been  made  prior  to  the  addition  to  the  mound,  inasmuch 
as  there  was  no  sign  of  the  yellow  clay  in  the  graves  in  the  dark  soil. 

Of  the  nineteen  burials,  twelve  were  skeletons  of  adults,  extended  on  the 
back.  In  addition  to  these  were  three  similar  skeletons  which  had  immediately 
with  them  collections  of  bones  resembling  bunched  burials,  one  having  one 
skull;  one,  four  skulls;  one,  eleven  skulls.  There  was  also  a burial  which  had 

4 JOURN.  ACAD.  NAT.  SCI.  PIIILA..  VOL.  XVI. 


54  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


been  extended  on  the  back,  but  from  which  the  pelvis  and  two-thirds  of  the  thighs 
were  wanting,  ('areful  search  was  made  above  and  below  this  skeleton  for 
indications  of  a grave,  which,  passing  through  the  skeleton  in  question,  could 
have  removed  the  missing  bones,  but  no  such  grave  was  found. 

There  were  also  three  bunched  burials,  two  with  three  skulls  each  and  one 
with  six. 

No  pottery  was  present  with  the  burials,  and  the  only  objects  found  with 
them  were  two  small  celts  of  metamorphic  rock  and  of  quartzite,  respectively,  and 
a mass  of  sandstone,  triangular  in  plane,  smoothed  to  slight  concavity  on  four 
of  its  five  sides,  possibly  by  use  as  a hone.  Its  length  is  about  3 inches;  its  thick- 
ness, 1.25  inch;  its  maximum  width,  2.25  inches. 


It  is  interesting  to  note  two  mounds  in  this  group,  each  containing  burials 
with  which,  in  one  instance,  were  numerous  vessels,  and  in  the  other,  none. 

Mounds  on  the  Mott  Place,  Franklin  Parish. 

On  the  Mott  Place,  so  called  from  the  name  of  a former  owner  (also  known 
as  the  Walnut  Bluff  Place),  is  a fine  group  of  mounds,  all  but  one  of  which  are  on 
the  property  of  Mr.  A.  D.  Simmons,  residing  on  the  place.  The  group,  nine  in 
number,  some  in,  some  on  the  border  of,  a cultivated  field,  form  an  irregular 
ellipse  of  which  the  two  principal  mounds  constitute  the  western  side,  two  form 
the  apices  of  the  figure,  and  the  rest  the  eastern  side.  There  are  also  several 
rises  and  humps  in  the  field  and  in  the  line  of  the  ellipse. 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


oo 

In  major  diameter  the  ellipse  is  about  850  feet,  the  minor  diameter  being 
about  575  feet.  The  mounds,  to  which  letters  will  be  ascribed  for  convenience 
in  description,  will  be  considered  separately. 

Mound  A,  within  the  field,  is  quadrangular  and  still  preserves  a symmetrical 
appearance.  Its  height  is  28.5  feet.  The  sides  face  the  cardinal  points,  or 
practically  do  so.  The  diameters  of  base  are  315  and  285  feet.  The  summit- 
plateau,  which  is  under  cultivation,  is  200  feet  by  150  feet. 

Mound  /i,  4 feet  8 inches  in  height,  is  240  feet  NNE.  from  Mound  A,  the 
distance  being  between  the  margins  of  the  mounds,  as  are  all  such  distances 
given  of  this  group.  This  mound,  which  is  outside  the  field,  is  of  very  irregular 
outline,  partly  through  cultivation  in  the  past,  furrows  being  plainly  visible  upon 
it,  and  partly  through  the  presence  of  a road  which  passes  over  part  of  it.  It  is 
between  90  and  100  feet  in  diameter. 

Mound  C,  outside  the  field,  6 feet  in  height,  is  84  feet  E.  from  Mound  B. 
Between  wear  and  wash  it  has  practically  no  regularity  of  outline.  Its  diameter 
of  base  is  approximately  85  feet. 

Mound  D,  also  6 feet  in  height,  practically  shapeless,  is  about  70  feet  E. 
from  Mound  C.  It  lies  without  the  field.  Its  diameters  of  base  are  100  feet 
and  90  feet. 

Mound  E , 8 feet  in  height,  lying  outside  the  field,  is  2(55  feet  E.  from  Mound 
D.  This  mound  has  been  quadrangular  with  a flat  summit-plateau,  but  its  shape 
is  now  very  irregular.  Its  basal  diameters  are  90  and  100  feet;  the  diameters  of 
what  is  left  of  the  summit-plateau  are  46  and  63  feet. 

Next  in  line  comes  what  may  possibly  have  been  a mound,  but  evidently 
was  used  as  a fortification  in  the  Civil  War,  which  its  position  commanding  the 
water  well  qualified  it  to  be.  It  has  been  omitted  from  the  group  of  mounds  by 
us,  as  it  is  impossible  exactly  to  determine  its  nature. 

Mound  F,  lying  outside  the  field,  12.5  feet  high,  is  105  feet  SSE.  from 
Mound  E.  It  is  square  and  still  symmetrical.  Its  sides  approximately  face 
the  cardinal  points.  Its  basal  diameter  is  135  feet. 

Mound  G,  outside  the  field,  about  4 feet  in  height,  has  been  plowed  out  of  all 
semblance  of  symmetry,  though  part  of  a flat  summit-plateau  still  remains.  It 
lies  90  feet  S.  from  Mound  F;  its  diameters  of  base  are  75  feet  and  100  feet. 

Mound  //,  forming  part  of  the  cultivated  field,  is  50  feet  SW.  from  Mound  G. 
It  is  a mere  remnant  with  a height  of  6 feet  and  a basal  diameter  of  about  80  feet. 

Mound  /,  180  feet  WSW.  from  Mound  //,  is  on  property  belonging  to  Mr. 
M.  A.  McDonald  living  nearby.  Its  height  is  about  17  feet;  its  diameter  of  base 
(it  is  almost  square)  is  about  190  feet,  the  diameter  of  the  summit-plateau  being 
somewhat  more  than  100  feet.  This  mound  is  fairly  symmetrical,  though  the 
sides  show  the  effects  of  wash  in  places.  Many  trees  are  on  the  summit-plateau. 

The  mounds  of  this  group,  as  well  as  various  small  rises,  were  carefully 
investigated  by  us,  but  in  each  instance,  with  one  exception,  Mound  F,  the 
material  of  which  the  mounds  are  composed  (clay,  or  in  one  or  two  instances 


56  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


clay  and  sand)  was  of  a raw  appearance  and  gave  no  encouragement  to  look 
for  burials,  and  neither  bone  nor  artifact  was  found  in  them. 

The  summit-plateau  of  Mound  F was  composed  of  dark  soil,  which  yielded 
twenty-six  burials  to  eight  trial-holes,  some  of  these  burials,  of  course,  being 
found  in  the  enlargement  of  the  original  holes  in  the  process  of  removing  burials. 

The  rich,  dark  soil  of  the  summit-plateau,  evidently  a later  addition  to  the 
mound,  was  variously  between  4 and  5 feet  in  depth.  Below  it  was  a dark  stra- 
tum about  6 inches  thick,  doubtless  marking  the  one-time  surface  of  the  mound. 
Presumably  such  burials  as  we  found  in  the  dark  soil  had  been  buried  from  the 
present  surface  of  the  plateau,  as  some  were  between  8 inches  and  16  inches  deep. 
Pits,  however,  were  not  distinguishable  in  this  homogeneous  soil,  which  had  been 
subject  to  no  admixture  on  removal. 

A number  of  graves,  however,  had  been  put  down  from  the  original  surface, 
and  these  were  easily  traced,  as  the  graves  had  been  dug  into  clay,  often  in  local 
strata  differing  in  shade,  so  that  the  material,  when  returned,  had  a mottled 
appearance.  For  example,  the  bottom  of  the  grave  of  Burial  No.  20,  the  deepest 
found,  was  6.5  feet  below  the  present  surface.  At  this  part  of  the  mound  the 
dark  stratum  marking  the  earlier  period  of  occupancy  was  4 feet  3 inches  from  the 
present  surface  of  the  mound,  so  that  the  grave  originally  had  been  2 feet  3 inches 
in  depth. 

It  is  difficult  to  compile  a statement  of  the  twenty-six  burials  found  in 
Mound  F,  as  some  of  them  were  of  a composite  character,  a mingling  of  bones 
placed  with  burials  at  length.  So  nearly  as  could  be  determined,  however,  the 
burials  were: 

At  full  length  on  the  back,  5. 

Bunched  burials,  19. 

Single  skulls,  2. 

Of  the  bunched  burials:  seven  had  one  skull  each;  one  had  two  skulls;  three 
had  three  skulls;  one,  four  skulls;  one,  six  skulls;  one,  seven  skulls;  one,  nine 
skulls;  one,  ten  skulls;  one,  thirteen  skulls;  one,  sixteen  skulls;  one,  twenty  skulls. 

Of  the  extended  burials,  three  were  associated  with  collections  of  bones 
which  might  be  termed  bunched  burials,  though  account  has  not  been  taken 
of  them  as  such  in  our  enumeration.  Those  in  question  had  respectively:  one 
skull,  two  skulls,  four  skulls. 

The  bones  in  this  mound  were  badly  decayed,  and  when  crania  from  it  are 
spoken  of  reference  is  made  to  what  once  were  skulls,  though  when  found  but 
little  may  have  been  left  of  them. 

We  shall  now  describe  in  detail  some  of  the  more  interesting  burials  from 
Mound  F. 

Burial  No.  9,  an  extended  skeleton,  32  inches  from  the  surface,  had  im- 
mediately with  it  a number  of  mingled  bones,  among  which  were  two  skulls. 
Near  one  of  these  four  small  arrowheads  of  flint  were  found,  perhaps  part  of  a 
deposit,  the  rest  of  which  had  been  thrown  out  by  the  digger,  though  careful 
search  with  a sieve  failed  to  yield  additional  ones. 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


57 


Burial  No.  13,  a bunched  burial  including  sixteen  skulls,  began  40  inches 
from  the  surface  and  continued  on  a downward  slope,  ending  one  foot  deeper. 
The  space  occupied  by  this  burial  was  about  8 feet  by  5 feet,  its  thickness  varying 
between  one  inch  where  long-bones  only  were  present,  to  about  6 inches  where 
crania  were  found. 

Burial  No.  15,  a bunch,  3.5  feet  down,  with  which  were  thirteen  skulls. 
With  this  burial  was  a deposit  consisting  of  nine  small,  barbed  arrowheads  of 
flint,  some  imperfect  through  former  breakage,  as  were  a large  proportion  of  the 
projectile  points  from  this  mound.  These  particular  arrowheads  were  not  in  a 
pile,  as  such  deposits  sometimes  are,  but  were  somewhat  spread  and  called  for 
careful  search  in  the  moist  soil  in  which  they  lay  singly. 

Burial  No.  17,  a bunch  with  seven  skulls,  5 feet  deep,  had  twenty-six  small 
arrowheads  spread  over  a considerable  area. 

Burial  No.  20,  to  which  reference  has  been  made,  included  twenty  skulls 
and  lay  in  a grave  with  rounded  corners,  5 feet  1 inch  by  5 feet  6 inches  in  area, 
the  depth,  as  stated,  being  2 feet  3 inches  below  the  original  sur- 
face of  the  mound  and  6.5  feet  below  the  present  one.  The  bones 
in  this  grave  were  badly  crushed,  some  retaining  their  shape  in 
part,  others  being  almost  in  powder.  Even  the  skulls  were 
flattened. 

With  this  burial,  mingled  with  the  remnants  of  bones  and 
distributed  over  the  base  of  the  grave-pit,  were  fifty-two  small, 
flint  arrowpoints,  most  of  them  serrated. 

Three  bunched  burials,  each  with  a single  skull,  had,  respec- 
tively, an  earthenware  vessel,  two  undecorated,  one  without 
adornment  except  for  series  of  three  notches  extending  around 
the  margin  of  the  opening.  These  burials,  with  which  had  been 
placed  the  only  earthenware  vessels  found  by  us  in  the  mound, 
lay  near  together  and  presumably  the  same  impulse  prompted 
the  placing  of  all  three  vessels. 

Beyond,  the  artifacts  described,  nothing  was  found  by  us 
with  the  burials,  an  unsatisfactory  return,  taking  into  considera- 
tion the  nature  of  the  site,  which  indicates  occupancy  by  a se- 
dentary population  for  a considerable  period. 

In  the  field  near  the  mounds  was  little  evidence  of  former  aboriginal  occu- 
pancy, though  a few  arrowheads  and  knives  were  gathered  from  the  surface, 
including  an  interesting  knife  of  Hint,  about  2.9  inches  in  length,  showing  a curve 
on  the  end  of  the  shank,  the  natural  curve  of  the  pebble  from  which  the  knife 
was  made  (Fig.  25). 

We  found  this  place  to  be  the  farthest  north  on  Bayou  Magon  (so  far  as 
our  search  extended)  where  arrowheads,  as  a rule,  are  small  and  barbed.  Farther 
up  the  bayou  projectile  points  are  much  larger,  many  having  shoulders  rather 
than  barbs. 


58 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  ANI)  IN  ARKANSAS. 


Mounds  near  Hope  Landing,  Madison  Parish. 

About  one-quarter  mile  in  woods,  in  a westerly  direction  from  Hope  Landing, 
on  property  whose  owner’s  name  we  were  unable  to  learn,  is  a mound  with 
rounded  corners  which  are  directed  toward  the  cardinal  points,  somewhat  of  an 
exception,  since,  as  we  know,  it  is  the  sides  of  such  mounds  that  usually  are  so 
oriented.  This  mound,  which  is  square  and  near  which  is  the  usual  depression 
filled  with  water,  is  5.5  feet  in  height.  Its  diameter  of  base  is  lit)  feet,  the 
plateau  varying  between  60  and  70  feet.  From  the  southeastern  side  a shoul- 
der, nearly  square,  projects  70  feet,  measured  from  the  summit-plateau  of  the 
mound. 

This  mound,  which  was  almost  entirely  of  clay,  yielded  no  sign  of  interment. 

Between  the  mound  just  described  and  the  bayou  is  a circular  rise,  about 
75  feet  in  diameter  and  18  inches  in  height.  No  evidence  of  the  presence  of 
artifacts  or  of  bones  was  found  in  it. 

Mounds  on  the  Montgomery  Place,  Madison  Parish. 

On  the  bank  overlooking  the  water,  on  the  Montgomery  Place,  of  which 
Judge  E.  ('.  Montgomery,  of  Tallulah,  La.,  is  the  owner,  are  two  mounds.  The 
larger,  5 feet  in  height,  according  to  measurement  from  the  outside,  showed  a 
distance  of  5.5  feet  from  the  summit  to  a dark  basal  line  about  3 inches  in  thick- 
ness. This  mound,  hemispherical,  having  a diameter  of  65  feet,  without  marked 
summit-plateau,  looked  what  it  proved  to  be,  a veritable  burial  mound  erected 
exclusively  for  mortuary  purposes. 

Seven  trial-holes  all  reached  burials,  almost  immediately,  and  in  the  re- 
moval of  these  so  many  other  burials  were  encountered  that  the  central  part  of 
the  mound  was  largely  dug  out.  The  excavation,  it  is  hardly  necessary  to  say, 
was  carefully  refilled,  leaving  the  mound  as  much  a place  of  refuge  in  case  of 
high  water  as  it  had  been  before  our  arrival. 

The  mound  was  made  of  a mixture  of  sand  and  clay.  The  burials,  thirty-six 
in  number,  all  very  badly  decayed,  were  present  at  all  depths,  some  being  just 
under  the  surface  where  apparently  they  had  been  disturbed  by  the  plow  some 
time  in  the  past,  though  the  mound  is  outside  the  cultivated  part  of  the  place 
at  present.  Other  burials  were  at  intermediate  depths,  and  a number  lav  on  the 
thin,  dark  stratum  which  marked  the  original  surface  of  the  ground. 

The  burials  were  all  of  the  bunched  variety,  one,  however,  lying  upon,  and 
probably  including,  the  remains  of  a skeleton  which  lay  closely  flexed  on  the 
right  side. 

Four  of  the  burials  had  been  greatly  disturbed  in  cultivation,  one  of  them 
so  much  so  that  but  part  of  a single  bone  remained,  not  enough  to  distinguish 
whether  or  not  it  was  human,  but  as  a celt  lay  with  it,  presumably  the  bone  had 
formed  part  of  a human  skeleton. 

The  remaining  thirty-two  burials  included  crania  as  follows: 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


59 


With  one  skull 

With  two  skulls 

With  three  skulls 

With  four  skulls 

With  five  skulls 

With  six  skulls 

With  seven  skulls 

With  twenty-seven  skulls 


14 

9 

2 

3 

1 

1 

1 

1 


In  one  instance  remains  of  teeth  are  included  as  a skull,  though  all  other 
parts  of  the  cranium  had  disappeared. 

Few  artifacts  were  found  with  the  burials.  With  one  was  a small  mass 
of  galena  (lead  sulphide) ; with  another,  a celt  of  volcanic  rock,  4 inches  in  length. 


Fig.  26. — Clay  supports  for  cooking-vessels.  Montgomery  Place.  (Full  size.) 


With  the  great  burial  which  included  twenty-seven  skulls  and  lay  about 
centrally  in  the  mound,  though  somewhat  above  the  base,  were  a rude  arrowhead, 
two  other  arrowheads  from  each  of  which  a barb  had  been  broken,  and  a graceful 
lancepoint,  or  large  arrowhead.  All  these  were  not  immediately  together,  but 
lay  near  the  bones  at  short  distances  apart.  The  lancepoint  or  large  arrowhead 
was  in  two  fragments  which  were  separated  by  about  six  inches. 

With  another  burial  was  an  arrowhead  of  flint  (as  were  all  arrowheads 
from  this  mound)  from  which  a part  had  been  broken. 

In  one  part  of  the  basal  layer  had  been  a circular  fireplace  about  one  foot 


60 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


in  depth  and  32  inches  in  diameter.  Within  this  fireplace  was  some  charcoal 
and  a number  of  objects  of  half-fired  earthenware,  rude,  triangular  pyramids  in 
shape,  from  3 to  4 inches  in  height.  Twenty-five  of  these  objects,  which  prob- 
ably were  supports  for  vessels  while  cooking  was  in  progress,  and  do  not  belong 
to  that  type  of  clay  objects  found  by  us  in  various  other  places  this  season, 
were  practically  unbroken,  while  many  others,  in  fragments,  were  also  present 
in  the  fireplace,  in  which,  however,  no  parts  of  pottery  vessels  were  found. 

These  pyramids  in  no  instance  rest  steadily  on  their  bases,  which  are  of 
irregular  surface  and  often  slightly  convex.  On  examination,  however,  it  is 
found  that  each  of  these  supports  has  one  side  which  is  flat  and  on  which  it  rests 
firmly.  Consequently,  the  supports  were  so  arranged,  doubtless,  that  three  or 
perhaps  four  of  them,  placed  on  their  flat  sides,  could  firmly  support  a vessel. 
In  Fig.  26  are  shown  two  of  these  objects,  one  on  its  base  (on  which  it  rested 
unsteadily)  and  one  lying  on  the  single  side  which  is  flat,  the  other  sides  being 
like  the  base,  of  uneven  surface. 

A few  feet  from  the  mound  just  described  was  a small  rise  which  proved  to 
be  of  raw  clay  and  yielded  no  evidence  of  having  served  as  a place  of  burial. 

Mounds  on  the  Stevens  Place,  Madison  Parish. 

In  open  woods  on  the  Stevens  Place,  belonging  to  the  Ashley  Land  Co., 
of  Tallulah,  La.,  in  sight  of  each  other,  are  two  mounds,  the  road  which  borders 
the  bayou  passing  between  them. 

The  larger,  4.5  feet  in  height,  and  85  by  70  feet  in  diameters  of  base,  proved 
on  investigation  to  be  of  raw  clay,  with  the  exception  of  a small  deposit  of  loam 
on  the  surface.  No  burials  were  found. 

The  second  mound,  somewhat  smaller  than  the  other,  had  been  scooped  out 
like  a saucer  and  as  it  commanded  the  water  its  shape  is  probably  a relic  of  the 
Civil  War. 


Mounds  on  the  Insley  Place,  Franklin  Parish. 

The  Insley  Place,  belonging  to  Mr.  W.  T.  Insley,  of  Delhi,  La.,  has  a group 
of  mounds  bordering  the  water,  though  they  are  not  in  line,  one  being  on  the 
opposite  side  of  a road  which  skirts  the  bayou,  while  the  other  three  directly 
overlook  the  stream. 

Mound  A,  the  northernmost,  has  been  lessened  in  extent  by  the  road  on 
one  side  and  by  the  bayou  on  the  other,  not  directly  by  the  action  of  water  on  its 
side,  as  this  place  was  not  submerged  in  the  great  flood  of  1912,  but  by  the  effect 
of  the  bayou  undermining  the  bank  below. 

The  mound,  4 feet  in  height,  has  a basal  diameter  of  65  feet  through  the 
part  which  still  remains  intact.  Twelve  trial-holes  showed  the  mound  to  be  of  rich, 
brown  loam  and  encountered  two  burials,  both  of  the  bunched  variety,  30  inches 
and  18  inches  down,  respectively.  The  deeper  burial  had  four  skulls,  two  of  which 
had  belonged  to  children;  the  other,  a single  skull.  No  objects  were  found  with 
either  burial. 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  ANI)  IN  ARKANSAS.  61 


Apart  from  the  bones  were  a good-sized  arrowpoint  of  flint  and  three  of 
those  objects  of  earthenware  of  which  a number  were  found  throughout  the 
season. 

This  mound  was  somewhat  puzzling,  as  one  would  expect,  with  all  the  digging 
done,  to  have  come  upon  more  burials. 

Mound  B,  a short  distance  below  Mound  A,  has  been  quadrangular,  but  its 
shape  has  been  so  greatly  altered  by  the  making  of  the  road,  by  wash  of  rain, 
and  by  the  caving  bank  of  the  bayou,  that  it  has  no  uniformity  of  outline.  One 
diameter,  that  parallel  with  the  road  and  with  the  river,  and  which  no  doubt 
gives  some  idea  of  the  original  size  of  the  mound,  is  215  feet.  The  altitude  is 
24  feet.  Trial-holes  came  at  once  on  raw  clay;  and  great  sections  of  the  mound, 
exposed  by  wash,  showed  no  signs  of  its  use  for  burial  purposes. 

Mound  C,  a short  distance  below  Mound  B , is  at  present  little  more  than 
a hump  of  compact  clay. 

Mound  D,  across  the  road,  in  afield,  10.5  feet  in  height,  is  fairly  symmetrical. 
It  is  quadrangular,  with  an  extensive  summit-plateau  in  which,  unfortunately, 
numbers  of  burials  have  been  made  in  comparatively  recent  years.  The  mound 
does  not  exactly  face  the  cardinal  points,  the  longer  side  extending  N.  by  W. 
and  S.  by  E.;  the  shorter  side,  of  course,  E.  by  N.  and  W.  by  S.  In  the  di- 
rections given,  respectively,  the  diameters  of  base  are  175  feet  and  135  feet, 
and  those  of  the  summit-plateau,  140  feet  and  70  feet. 

The  cultivated  fields  on  this  place  gave  no  evidence  of  former  aboriginal 
occupancy,  nor  was  there  any  history  there  of  the  discovery  of  bones  or  of  arti- 
facts. 

The  Mound  Place,  Madison  Parish. 

The  Mound  Place  is  referred  to  here  only  to  explain  that  what  is  considered 
a mound  at  this  place  is  a tongue  of  the  high  land  beginning  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  bayou,  and  which,  cut  off  by  the  stream,  reappears  as  the  so-called 
mound  on  the  Mound  Place.  The  few  bits  of  pottery  and  occasional  arrowheads 
picked  up  on  the  surface  are  relics  of  the  time  when  this  high  ground  was  utilized 
by  the  aborigines. 

Mounds  on  the  Lake  Place,  Madison  Parish. 

About  2.5  miles  SE.  from  Delhi,  but  on  the  opposite  side  of  Bayou  Magon, 
on  the  eastern  bank  of  Joe’s  Bayou  lake,  in  a field  on  property  belonging  to  Mr. 
Michael  Crudgington,  who  resides  there,  is  a site  including  four  mounds  and 
several  low  rises  and  ridges. 

Mound  A,  the  farthest  north  on  the  lake,  is  a rectangular  mound  that  has 
been  plowed  over  and  has  suffered  from  wash  and  from  trampling  of  cattle. 
Its  sides  about  face  the  cardinal  points.  The  mound  is  10  feet  in  height;  the 
basal  diameters  are  125  feet  and  104  feet,  and  those  of  the  summit-plateau  68 
feet  and  57  feet.  As  the  mound  had  been  planted  over,  but  two  trial-holes  were 
dug,  both  showing  raw,  yellow  clay. 


62 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


Mound  B,  80  paces  S.  by  E.  from  Mound  A,  near  the  bank  of  the  lake,  has 
been  greatly  worn  and  trampled  by  stock.  The  mound,  rectangular,  the  sides 
approximately  facing  the  cardinal  points,  has  a height  of  about  (3.5  feet.  The 
diameters  of  the  base  are  87  feet  and  102  feet;  those  of  the  summit-plateau,  36 
feet  and  45  feet. 

Ten  trial-holes  showed  the  mound  to  be  of  dark,  yellow  clay  and  came  upon 
five  burials  so  badly  decayed  that  small  parts  only  remained,  at  depths  ranging 
between  6 inches  and  2.5  feet.  These  burials  were  all  above  a dark  layer  about 


Fie.  27.  Vessel  of  earthenware.  Lake  Place.  (Height  4.7  inches.) 


3 feet  down,  probably  caused  by  occupancy  for  a time  before  enlargement  of  the 
mound. 

The  burials  consisted  of  three  bunches  of  bones,  each  with  two  skulls; 
one  with  a single  skull;  and  a skeleton  at  length  on  the  back.  About  one  foot 
in  depth  was  a vessel  shown  in  Fig.  27,  which,  broken  when  found,  has  since  been 
cemented  together  and  restored.  As  no  bones  were  with  this  vessel,  presumably 
the  burial  had  disappeared  through  decay,  or  possibly  its  dissociation  from 
remains  was  the  result  of  disturbance. 

Mound  C,  46  paces  ESE.  from  Mound  A,  about  3.5  feet  in  height  and  (30 
feet  in  diameter,  had  been  cultivated  over  and  much  worked  down.  Seven 
trial-holes  showed  the  mound  to  be  of  dark,  yellow  clay,  but  came  upon  no  sign 
of  burials. 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


63 


Mound  D,  98  paces  SE.  by  S.  from  Mound  C,  spread  by  cultivation,  has  a 
height  of  about  2.5  feet  and  a basal  diameter  of  85  feet.  Seven  trial-holes  were 
unsuccessfully  put  down  through  light-colored  clay  of  very  unpromising  ap- 
pearance. 

Digging  in  a part  of  the  site  produced  a fragment  of  pottery  showing  red 
pigment  on  one  side. 

Mound  on  the  Crowroot  Place,  Madison  Parish. 

This  plantation,  as  to  the  name  of  which  there  seems  to  be  some  doubt, 
has,  in  view  from  the  river,  a mound  about  square,  6.5  feet  in  height  and  140 
feet  in  basal  diameter.  Its  outline  has  suffered  through  cultivation  on  top  and 
along  the  sides.  Digging  into  this  mound  yielded  no  return  in  artifacts,  nor  any 
evidence  of  its  having  served  as  a place  of  burial. 

Mounds  on  the  Richardson  Place,  East  Carroll  Parish. 

About  three-quarters  of  a mile  SW.  from  the  regular  landing  on  the  Richard- 
son Place,  which  belongs  to  Mrs.  John  P.  Richardson,  of  New  Orleans,  La.,  in 
sight  from  each  other,  are  two  mounds.  One  of  these,  5.5  feet  in  height,  of 
irregular  basal  outline,  is  about  95  feet  in  diameter.  As  this  mound  had  been 
long  in  use  by  the  Richardson  family  as  a place  of  burial,  and  numerous  tomb- 
stones are  upon  it,  no  investigation  of  it  was  attempted. 

The  second  mound  has  served  as  a site  for  a house,  the  brick  chimney  of 
which  was  standing  at  the  time  of  our  visit.  The  mound  has  been  greatly  altered 
in  outline  in  the  course  of  years. 

Digging  showed  the  distance  from  the  summit-plateau  to  a dark  stratum  of 
soil,  the  original  surface  of  the  ground,  to  be  3.5  feet,  though  a measurement  of 
height  from  the  outside  did  not  indicate  so  much. 

Eight  trial-holes  resulted  in  the  discovery  of  one  burial,  which  was  very 
fragmentary  and  in  the  last  stage  of  decay,  the  skull  being  represented  by  remains 
of  the  teeth  only.  In  another  hole,  near  together,  were  fragments  of  two  bowls 
of  inferior  ware,  each  having  incised  line-decoration  of  inferior  quality.  No 
bones  were  found  with  these  vessels,  and  presumably  the  burial  that  almost 
certainly  once  was  with  them,  had  decayed  away.  No  doubt  other  burials  in 
this  mound  had  likewise  completely  disappeared,  which  would  account  for  the 
ill-success  of  our  trial-holes. 

Mound  near  Lower  Jackson  Landing,  West  Carroll  Parish. 

About  one-quarter  mile  in  a northerly  direction  from  the  lower  landing  on 
the  Jackson  Place  is  a mound  with  a circular  base,  9 feet  in  height,  the  basal 
diameter  being  115  feet. 

This  mound  has  been  the  cemetery  of  the  Jackson  family  for  more  than 
sixty  years,  and,  in  addition,  colored  persons  have  been  buried  along  the  sides, 
so  that  digging  on  our  part  was  out  of  the  question,  though  we  were  kindly 


64 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


permitted  by  Mr.  S.  T.  Jackson,  of  Pioneer,  La.,  to  take  measurements  of  the 
mound. 


Mounds  on  the  Jackson  Place,  West  Carroll  Parish. 

Forming  part  of  the  great  chain  of  mounds  that  begins  with  the  one  just 
described  at  Lower  Jackson  Landing  and  extends  several  miles  up  along  the  river 
to  within  sight  of  the  town  of  Floyd,  is  a group  of  mounds  on  the  Jackson  Place, 
from  which,  unless  obscured  by  trees,  the  great  mound  at  Poverty  Point  is 
visible. 

On  the  Jackson  Place,  on  property  belonging  to  Mr.  George  W.  Mont- 
gomery, of  Tallulah,  La.,  all  in  sight  from  the  river  bank,  is  this  interesting  group 
of  six  mounds,  excluding  various  humps  and  small  rises  which  are  fairly  numerous 
on  the  place.  These  mounds,  to  which  letters  have  been  assigned  for  clearness 
in  description,  all  of  which  have  been  quadrangular  with  summit-plateaus,  in 
some  instances  have  suffered  from  wash  and  from  a too  close  proximity  of  roads. 
Their  relative  positions  may  be  seen  on  the  plan  (Fig.  28). 

Mound  A,  the  southernmost  of  the  group,  has  upon  it  the  house  of  the  man- 
ager of  the  plantation.  The  height  of  this  mound  is  13.5  feet;  the  diameters  of 
base  are  177  feet  N.  and  8.  and  207  feet  E.  and  W.  Those  of  the  summit- 
plateau  respectively  in  the  same  directions  are  96  feet  and  135  feet. 

Mound  B,  15  feet  in  height,  has  been  about  square,  save  that  a ridge,  now 
in  the  main  cut  away  by  a road,  has  extended  from  the  eastern  side.  The  di- 
ameter of  base  is  122  feet;  that  of  the  summit-plateau,  50  feet. 

Mound  C,  9 feet  high,  has  been  in  part  cut  away  by  a road  on  one  side  and 
eaten  into  by  water  on  the  opposite  side.  The  basal  diameter  remaining  intact 
is  82  feet,  and  that  of  the  summit-plateau  26  feet. 

Mound  I),  having  an  altitude  of  14  feet,  has  basal  diameters  of  155  feet 
N.  and  8.,  and  138  feet  E.  and  W.  The  summit-plateau,  which  is  about  square, 
is  65  feet  across.  Probably  the  mound  was  square  also  at  one  time,  but  the  sides 
have  suffered  extension  through  wash  of  rain. 

Mound  E,  9 feet  high,  has  diameters  of  base  of  78  feet  N.  and  8.,  and  69 
feet  E.  and  W . The  diameters  of  the  summit-plateau,  in  the  same  directions 
respectively,  are  33  and  27  feet. 

Mound  F,  which  has  a house  upon  it,  has  been  plowetl  out  of  shape  by 
continued  cultivation  and  has  suffered  by  wear  anti  by  wash.  A representative 
diameter  probably  would  be  about  190  feet,  150  feet  of  which  would  be  beneath 
the  summit-plateau.  The  height  is  6.5  feet.  Long  ridges  extend  from  this 
mound,  one  toward  the  north,  the  other  toward  the  south. 

The  usual  ponds,  caused  by  the  removal  of  material  for  the  mounds,  are 
present  at  this  place. 

No  digging  was  done  in  the  mounds  on  which  houses  stood.  All  others, 
with  these  exceptions,  were  investigated,  but  not  in  as  complete  a way  as  would 
have  been  possible  had  the  mounds  been  in  a territory  where  their  complete 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS.  6 


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Fig.  28. — Plan  of  mounds.  Jackson  Place 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


66 

destruction  would  have  been  a matter  of  no  importance.  Several  humps  and 
rises  also  were  dug  into. 

Mound  C alone  yielded  burials  to  our  investigation.  In  this  mound  nine 
trial-holes,  put  down  from  the  summit-plateau,  came  upon  human  remains  in 
seven  instances.  About  2 feet  below  the  surface  was  a thin,  dark  layer  of  soil, 
which  seemed  to  indicate  a period  of  occupancy  and  a subsequent  increase  in 
the  height  of  the  mound.  The  bones  found  by  us  had  been  buried  from  the  sur- 
face, none  of  the  graves  having  cut  through  the  layer  in  question  in  aboriginal 
times.  One  of  the  seven  burials  noted  had  been  greatly  scattered  by  an  inter- 
ment of  comparatively  recent  date.  With  some  of  the  scattered  bones  was  a 
tubular  bead  of  red  jasper,  .8  inch  in  length. 

Two  other  burials  were  very  fragmentary,  one  consisting  of  part  of  a single 
bone,  perhaps  a remnant  of  another  disturbance.  With  this  was  what  had  been 
an  effigy-pipe  of  coarse  limestone  or  of  phosphate  rock,  greatly  disintegrated. 
A blow  from  a shovel  completed  the  wreck.  The  remaining  four  burials  had 
been  extended  on  the  back.  These  bones  were  so  badly  decayed  that  the  form 
of  burial  was  merely  indicated  by  remnants. 

With  one  of  these  burials  were  two  bowls,  both  badly  broken,  one  decorated 
with  encircling,  incised  lines,  the  other  with  punctate  markings. 

The  level  ground  at  this  place  showed  few  signs  of  former  aboriginal  oc- 
cupancy, judged  by  debris  on  the  surface.  Several  arrowpoints  of  hint  were 
found,  including  one  small  and  serrated.  Our  agent  informed  us  that  when 
visiting  this  place  the  preceding  summer,  he  picked  up  a “plummet”  of  hematite, 
and  two  others  were  acquired  by  us  from  a colored  woman  living  on  the  place. 

Sites  on  Poverty  Point,  and  on  the  Motley  Place,  West  Carroll  Parish. 

Near  the  town  of  Floyd  are  two  adjacent  properties  bordering  the  water, 
but  well  above  reach  of  the  highest  flood,  in  all  more  than  two  thousand  acres, 
farm-land  and  forest,  respectively  known  as  Poverty  Point  and  the  Motley 
Place,  Poverty  Point  being  the  first  reached  by  one  ascending  Bayou  Ma^on. 
These  places,  of  great  interest  from  an  archaeological  point  of  view,  were  most 
courteously  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  Academy  for  investigation  by  Mrs.  M.  ,J. 
Redmond,  of  Floyd,  La.,  whose  property  they  are.  To  Mrs.  Redmond  and  to 
Mr.  M.  (’.  Redmond,  son  of  Mrs.  Redmond,  manager  of  these  properties,  the 
Academy  wishes  to  express  its  sincere  thanks.  Mr.  Redmond,  a college  graduate, 
and  head  of  the  School  Board  of  West  Carroll  Parish,  took  a keen  interest  in  the 
investigation  and  aided  it  in  every  way. 

In  the  Smithsonian  Report  for  1872, 1 Prof.  Samuel  II.  Lockett,  of  the 
Louisiana  State  University,  Baton  Rouge,  La.,  writes: 

“While  prosecuting  my  topographical  survey  of  Louisiana  this  summer, 
I visited,  near  Jackson’s  Ferry,  4 miles  south  of  Floyd,  on  Bayou  Ma(,*on,  some 
very  remarkable  Indian  mounds.  Six  of  these  are  within  a mile  of  Mrs.  Jackson’s. 


1 Pages  429,  430. 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


67 


Four  of  them  are  almost  perfect;  the  other  two  are  partly  destroyed  by  the 
caving  of  the  banks  of  the  Bayou  Magon.  They  are  connected  with  each  other 
by  a levee  or  narrow  embankment  of  earth,  making  a nearly  semicircular  figure. 
There  are  two  much  larger  mounds  nearer  to  Floyd,  one  on  Mr.  Mabin’s,  and  one 
on  Mr.  Motley’s  land.  The  latter  must  be  between  20  and  30  feet  in  height. 
[What  was  formerly  known  as  the  Mabin  Place  is  now  the  Poverty  Point  Plan- 
tation.] 

“On  all  the  sides  of  all  of  the  mounds,  and  in  their  vicinity,  are  found  great 
numbers  of  relics,  such  as  human  bones,  arrowheads,  ‘plumb-bobs’  very  perfect 
in  form  and  immense  quantities  of  broken  pottery.  Many  of  the  pieces  of 
pottery  are  highly  ornamented.  From  the  quantity  of  pottery,  I imagine  there 
must  have  been  a factory  of  this  ware  in  this  locality.  Excavations  would  in 
all  probability  reveal  some  very  valuable  and  interesting  specimens  and  I 
think  it  should  be  done  by  one  accustomed  to  searching  for  archaeological  re- 
mains.” 

In  the  opening  part  of  Professor  Lockett’s  statement  reference  is  made  to  the 
mounds  on  the  Jackson  Place,  our  description  of  which  immediately  precedes  this. 

We  shall  now  consider  the  sites  on  Poverty  Point  and  on  the  Motley  Place, 
based  on  our  own  investigation. 

At  Poverty  Point,  in  full  view  from  the  bayou,  rising  from  the  flat,  cultivated 
land,  is  a huge,  aboriginal  earthwork  that  at  first  glance  almost  impresses  even 
the  trained  observer  as  being  not  a mound,  but  a hill. 

This  mound,  which  for  convenience  we  shall  call  Mound  A,  is  in  the  shape 
of  a ridge  extending  north  and  south,  the  upper,  central  part  being  narrow,  as 
may  be  seen  by  the  survey  (Fig.  29)  made  at  the  time  of  our  visit  by  Dr.  M.  G. 
Miller.  The  height  of  the  mound  is  70  feet,  taken  from  the  southern  end,  where 
conditions  seemed  most  favorable  for  determination,  there  being  at  that  place 
no  evidence  of  the  depressions  and  ridges  which  were  present  elsewhere  about 
the  mound. 

From  the  central  part  of  the  eastern  side  of  the  mound  extends  a platform 
directed  almost  due  east,  the  outline  of  which  has  been  greatly  impaired  by 
wash  of  rain.  This  platform  is  connected  with  the  summit  of  the  ridge  by  a 
causeway,  shown  in  the  plan.  The  basal  diameter  of  Mound  A,  north  and  south, 
is  680  feet.  East  and  west,  including  the  platform,  it  is  690  feet. 

To  dig  into  so  vast  a mound  as  this  seemed  almost  like  the  proverbial  search 
for  a needle  in  a haystack;  nevertheless,  trial-holes  were  put  down  on  the  crest 
of  the  mound,  coming  at  once  to  raw  clay,  and  also  superficially  in  the  platform, 
where  burials,  however,  had  such  ever  been  there,  evidently  had  long  since  been 
washed  away,  leaving  compact,  yellow  clay  on  the  surface. 

This  great  mound  (A)  forms  part  of  a group  of  six  which  at  one  time  may 
have  been  in  the  shape  of  a rude  circle  or  of  an  irregular  ellipse.  At  the  present 
time,  however,  rain  has  so  eroded  the  high  area  that  rises  above  the  bayou  that 
the  only  representative  of  the  figure  (if  there  ever  was  one),  between  north  and 


A 


Fig.  29. — Plan.  Mound  A. 


Poverty  Point  Plantation. 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS.  69 


cast,  is  a mere  remnant  of  a mound  ( E ),  about  6 feet  in  height,  part  of  which 
has  fallen  into  the  bayou  and  another  portion  of  which  has  been  destroyed  by  a 
road.  Incidentally  we  will  say  here  that  careful  digging  into  this  mound  showed 
it  to  be  entirely  of  mixed  soil  down  to  a base  about  6 feet  below  the  surface.  In 
this  soil  was  midden  debris,  here  and  there,  but  no  sign  of  human  remains. 

Mound  B,  186  yards1  S.  by  E.  from  Mound  A,  9 feet  in  height,  has  been  under 
cultivation,  and  owing  to  wash  of  rain  on  plowed  ground  it  has  been  great  ly  eroded 
and  is,  in  consequence,  of  very  irregular  outline.  Presumably  it  has  been  about 
square  with  a great  summit-plateau.  Its  diameter  of  base  is  about  300  feet. 
This  mound  is  of  bright,  yellow  clay. 

Mound  C,  500  yards  N.  by  E.  from  Mound  B,  is  a well-preserved  mound, 
7 feet  in  height,  in  the  form  of  a truncated  cone,  the  diameter  of  base  being  90 
feet,  that  of  the  summit-plateau,  20  feet.  This  mound  has  every  appearance  of 
having  served  for  burials  in  aboriginal  times,  being  steep  and  composed  of  dark 
soil.  Unfortunately,  it  has  been  honeycombed  by  burials  in  recent  years. 

Mound  D,  150  yards  E.  by  N.  from  Mound  C,  is  slightly  more  than  4 feet 
in  height.  Its  irregularly  circular  base  is  slightly  more  than  100  feet  across. 
This  mound,  which  overlooks  the  bayou,  has  served  as  a cemetery  in  the  past  and 
grave-stones  enclosed  by  an  iron  railing  are  upon  its  plateau. 

Mound  E has  been  described. 

Mound  F is  430  yards  N.  from  Mound  A,  in  woods  bordering  a field  in  the 
lower  part  of  the  Motley  Place,  the  other  mounds  described  being  on  the  Poverty 
Point  Plantation.  This  symmetrical  mound,  21  feet  6 inches  in  height  and  195 
feet  in  diameter  of  base,  is  conical,  with  almost  no  flattening  at  the  summit. 
It  is  evident  from  its  shape  that  whatever  the  purpose  for  its  erection  was,  it 
cannot  have  been  intended  for  a domiciliary  mound.  Seemingly  it  is  composed  of 
raw,  yellow  clay,  and  probably  is  without  superficial  burials.  It  may  have 
been  erected  over  some  personage  of  note.  Unfortunately,  neither  our  time 
nor  our  force  of  men  was  sufficient  to  undertake  the  demolition  of  a mound  like 
this. 

These  are  the  mounds  (all  of  which  but  one  we  dug  into  to  some  extent)  at 
present  forming  the  group  on  or  near  the  Poverty  Point  Plantation.  Another 
mound  on  the  Motley  Place  will  be  described  in  due  course. 

It  is  entirely  possible  that  Professor  Lockett  regarded  as  hills  the  huge 
mound  on  the  Poverty  Point  Plantation  and  the  great  mound  on  the  Motley 
Place,  yet  to  be  described,  an  error  which  could  easily  be  made  by  an  untrained 
observer,  and  that  the  figures  as  to  height  given  by  him  as  to  a mound  on  the 
Motley  Place  refer  to  the  mound  on  that  place  already  described  by  us. 

About  these  mounds  and  between  them  is  cultivated  ground  on  which  are 
numerous  low  ridges  on  which,  in  profusion,  lay  at  the  time  of  our  visit,  aboriginal 
artifacts  and  debris,  mainly  pebbles;  fragments  and  flakes  of  flint;  arrowpoints, 
spearheads,  and  knives,  of  the  same  material,  some  entire;  several  celts;  “plum- 

1 The  distances  between  these  mounds  were  paced. 

5 JOURN.  ACAD.  NAT.  SCI  PHILA.,  VOL.XVI. 


70  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


mots”  of  hematite;  almost  innumerable  small  objects  of  earthenware,  broken 
and  whole,  to  be  described  later;  immense  quantities  of  what  is  known  as  gravel, 
by  the  inhabitants.  This  material  which,  to  some  extent,  has  the  appearance 
of  gravel  and  small  pebbles,  and  might  seem  to  be  such  at  first  sight,  proves 
on  closer  inspection  to  be  baked  clay  from  fireplaces  of  aboriginal  dwelling-sites, 
which  constant  plowing  has  reduced  to  small  fragments.  No  traces  of  human 
bones  were  anywhere  visible  on  the  surface. 

One  feature  in  connection  with  these  sites  impressed  us  greatly.  Almost 
no  fragments  of  earthenware  vessels  were  in  evidence.  With  the  exception  of 
one  place  in  which  eight  bits  of  pottery  were  found,  sherds  were  practically 
absent  not  only  from  the  surface  but  from  the  soil  thrown  out  in  digging.  It 
is  difficult  to  surmise  what  took  the  place  of  pottery  during  the  long  time  this 
site  wras  inhabited;  possibly  vessels  of  wood  were  used.  Two  or  three  fragments 
of  soapstone  pots  were  found,  but  had  such  vessels  been  in  general  use,  pre- 
sumably more  parts  of  them  would  have  been  discovered. 

Professor  Lockett’s  statement  as  to  the  great  abundance  of  fragments  of 
pottery,  it  must  be  remembered,  was  made  in  a general  way,  applying  to  three 
sites,  and,  if  exact,  probably  had  reference  to  the  Jackson  Place  or  to  the  Motley 
Place;  for  had  pottery  fragments  been  abundant  at  the  Poverty  Point  Plantation 
in  his  time,  it  is  impossible  that  the  sherds  alone  should  have  disappeared  from 
there,  and  that  the  great  variety  of  other  debris  should  still  remain  on  the 
surface,  as  it  has  done. 

From  the  surface  at  this  place  came  more  than  two  hundred  entire  knives, 
arrow-points,  and  spearheads,  of  Hint,  of  which  thirty-one  (selected  by  us  from  a 
much  larger  number)  were  acquired  from  a colored  man  who  cultivated  part  of 
the  property.  No  lancehead  exceeded  4.25  inches  in  length,  though  fragments 
found  in  the  fields  indicated  that  some  of  the  points  must  have  had  a length  of 
8 or  9 inches.  A few-  spearheads  and  projectile  points  were  found  fashioned  with 
but  a single  barb,  such  as  those  which  have  been  described  as  coming  from 
Catahoula  Parish,  La.,  and  elsewhere.  Certain  of  the  arrowpoints  show  cur- 
vature on  the  end  of  the  stem,  which  on  examination  proves  to  be  the  curve  of 
the  surface  of  the  pebbles  from  which  the  arrowheads  were  made.  Secondary 
work  on  a few-  of  the  points  w-as  noted,  where  apparently  broken  points  had  been 
resharpened  or  the  side  of  a broken  arrowhead  had  been  chipped  possibly  to 
serve  as  a knife. 

The  workmanship  on  these  implements  is  not  above  the  average;  serration 
is  almost  absent.  The  small,  delicate,  barbed  arrowheads  found  in  numbers 
farther  down  Bayou  Mac;on  are  represented  at  this  place  by  a single  example. 

Of  four  small  celts  from  the  surface  of  this  plantation  (which  w-ere  given  to 
Mr.  Redmond)  one  shows  marked  excellence  of  workmanship,  being  slender  and 
graceful;  one  is  of  about  average  appearance;  and  two  are  of  rude  manufacture. 

That  the  aborigines  who  inhabited  this  great  site  had  considerable  skill  in 
working  of  hard  stone,  however,  is  shown  by  a bead  of  red  jasper  (obtained  by 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS.  71 


Fig.  30. — “ Plummets”  of  hematite.  Poverty  Point  Plantation.  (Full  size.) 


72  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


us  from  the  colored  man  from  whom  the  arrowheads  were  acquired),  unless 
the  head  was  an  importation.  This  bead,  2.6  inches  in  length,  with  a diameter 
of  .36  inch,  has  an  evenly  placed  perforation  of  only  .14  to  .16  inch  diameter. 

This  large  head  of  jasper  is,  however,  not  the  record  one  as  to  size.  In  the 
Louisiana  State  Museum,  at  New  Orleans,  we  noticed  a jasper  bead  the  measure- 
ments of  which  kindly  have  been  furnished  us  by  Mr.  Robert  Glenk,  B.S.,  Ph.C., 
Curator  of  the  Museum:  length,  3.3  inches;  diameter,  .44  inch;  diameter  of 
opening,  .125  inch.  The  bead,  Mr.  Glenk  informs  us,  came  from  St.  Landry 
Parish,  La. 

Among  the  aboriginal  dwellers  on  the  Poverty  Point  site,  what  are  known  as 
“plummets”1  of  hematite  were  greatly  in  vogue.  Persons  now  living  on  the 
site  tell  of  quantities  of  these  objects,  which  they  call  “ plumb-bobs,’ ’ that  have 
been  found  in  the  course  of  cultivation  of  the  land,  and  the  colored  man  from 

whom  the  arrowheads  and  the  bead  were  obtained  spoke 
of  profits  derived  by  him  from  the  sale  of  these  “plumb- 
bobs”  to  visitors,  and  displayed  a number  which,  through 
partial  breakage,  he  had  not  been  able  to  dispose  of. 

There  were  found  by  us  eleven  hematite  “plummets” 
(Fig.  30),  ten  on  the  surface  and  one  in  the  course  of  the 
digging.  They  varied  in  length  between  3.5  inches  and  .8 
inch,  some  with  perforations,  some  with  grooves  for  suspen- 
sion, one  having  a semiperforation.  Some  arc  rude,  with- 
out regularity  of  outline,  hardly  more  than  masses  of  ma- 
terial on  which  but  little  work  has  been  done.  Over  the 
surface  were  many  fragments  belonging  to  “plummets.” 
Several  small  balls  of  hematite  were  picked  up,  all  of 
somewhat  irregular  outline. 

From  the  surface  also  came  an  interesting  little  figurine 
of  earthenware,  representing  a female  (Fig.  31). 

The  objects  of  baked  clay  which  were  discovered  in  such  numbers  at  this 
place  (sixty-seven2  entire'  ones  being  obtained),  and  which  resemble  most  of 
those  we  found  this  season  in  and  sometimes  on  the  surface  of  various  sites  in 
Louisiana,  south  of  Poverty  Point,  are  of  a class  hitherto  undescribed,  so  far  as 
we  can  learn.  A selection  from  those  found  at  Poverty  Point,  embracing  all  the 
various  forms  obtained  there,  is  shown  in  Plate  II. 

All  these  objects  from  Poverty  Point  lay  on  the  surface  with  a few  excep- 

1 As  to  “plummets”  and  objects  of  hematite,  of  aboriginal  make,  in  general,  see:  W.  K. 
Moorehead,  “Hematite  Implements  of  the  United  States,”  Bulletin  VI,  Department  of  Arelueol- 
ogy,  Phillips  Academy,  Andover,  Mass. 

- In  addition  to  a selection  from  these,  which  has  been  placed  on  exhibition  at  the  Academy 
of  Natural  Sciences  of  Philadelphia,  others  were  sent  to  the  following:  United  States  National 
Museum,  Washington,  1).  C.;  Peabody  Museum,  Cambridge,  Mass.;  \ ale  l niversity  Museum, 
New  Haven,  Conn.;  American  Museum  of  Natural  History.  New  York  City;  Field  Museum  of 
Natural  History,  Chicago,  111.;  Department  of  Archaeology,  Phillips  Academy,  Andover,  Mass.; 
Museum  of  Archaeology  and  Ethnography,  Cambridge,  England. 


Fig.  31. — Figurine  of 
day.  Poverty  Point 
Plantation.  (Full  size.) 


JOURN.  ACAD.  NAT.  SCI.  PHILA.,  2ND  SER.,  VOL.  XVI.  PLATE  II 


Ft  t & 4M£Fl~'*3' 


SITE  AT  POVERTY  POINT,  OBJECTS  OF  EARTHENWARE,  (full  size.) 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS.  73 

tions  which  were  dug  up  singly  in  midden  material,  those  from  the  surface  being 
also  with  the  debris  of  fireplaces  locally  known  as  “gravel,”  above  referred  to, 
or,  at  all  events,  on  ground  somewhat  higher  than  the  surrounding  level  and 
darker  than  the  other  ground,  which  evidently  had  been  places  of  abode. 

. By  consulting  this  report  it  will  be  noted  that  other  objects  of  this  class, 
found  elsewhere  bv  us  this  season,  lay  on  the  surface  or  in  midden  debris,  with 
one  exception  (the  Schwing  place)  where  a deposit  of  them  was  found  near  a 
burial.  As  the  deposit  of  the  objects  in  this  way  was  so  exceptional,  it  is  hardly 
likely  they  were  ceremonially  connected  with  burials,  but  presumably  were  em- 
ployed in  the  general  life  of  the  people.  A single  deposit  proves  little.  In  the 
great  Rose  Mound  on  St.  Francis  river,  Arkansas,  we  found  with  a burial  a con- 
siderable deposit  of  cylindrical,  earthenware  objects  such  as  were  used  by  the 
aborigines  in  some  regions  as  supports  for  vessels  while  cooking  was  in  progress; 
yet  nowhere  else  was  such  a deposit  found  by  us,  though  numbers  of  the  supports 
were  discovered  in  other  sites  among  midden  debris. 

\\  e are  greatly  indebted  to  Mr.  Charles  ( '.  Willoughby,  of  Peabody  Museum, 
( 'ambridge,  Mass.,  who  has  taken  much  interest  in  the  probable  use  made  of  these 
clay  objects,  for  his  suggestions  on  the  subject,  which  follow,  and  for  a photograph 
of  the  clay  objects  used  by  the  Paiute  Indians,  which  is  reproduced  here.  Mr. 
Willoughby  writes: 

“Regarding  the  three  types  of  burnt  clay  objects  of  which  you  sent  me 
drawings,  the  first  form,  that  of  the  double  cone,  is  the  only  one  the  use  of  which 
is  at  all  clear  to  me.  There  are  in  our  museum  two  similar  specimens  (Fig.  32) 


Fig.  32. — Clay  cones.  Paiute  Indians,  southern  Utah.  Collected  by  Edward  Palmer,  1S75.  (Full  size.) 

of  clay,  obtained  from  the  Paiute  Indians  by  Dr.  Edward  Palmer  in  1875  and 
called  by  him  gambling  cones.  These,  of  course,  were  used  in  the  well  known 
and  widely  distributed  ‘hand  game’  which  is  commonly  played  with  two  bones, 
one  of  them  being  marked.  One  of  the  double  cones  is  plain,  the  other  has  a 
series  of  dots  arranged  in  a spiral  on  one  of  its  sides.  The  game,  as  you  know, 
consists  in  telling  in  which  of  the  opponent’s  hands  the  unmarked  cone  is  con- 
cealed. It  has  occurred  to  me  that  the  double  cones  found  by  you  might  have 
been  used  in  this  game.  One  of  your  specimens  [see  Fig.  15]  has  a groove  which 
may  have  served  to  distinguish  it  from  its  fellow,  or  one  of  a pair  may  have  been 
marked  with  paint,  all  traces  of  which  have  disappeared. 


74 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


“It  is  also  possible  that  they  may  have  been  used  in  slings,  as  the  form  is 
similar  to  the  well-wrought  sling  stone  of  Polynesia.  You  will  recall  that 
Professor  Holmes  obtained  from  the  Stockton  mounds  of  southern  California, 
clay  pellets  of  various  forms  some  of  which  he  thought  might  have  been  used  in 
slings.  One  of  these,  which  resembles  somewhat  your  second  form,  is  illustrated 
on  plate  27  of  the  Report  of  the  U.  S.  National  Museum  for  1900. 

“As  to  the  second  form,  the  lump  of  clay  with  six  or  more  depressions,  it 
remotely  suggests  the  worked  astragalus  of  the  deer,  such  as  was  probably  used 
for  gaming. 

“As  to  the  third  form,  the  grooved  cylinder,  1 have  no  suggestions  to  offer 
as  to  its  possible  use.” 

In  a later  communication  Mr.  Willoughby  writes:  “I  have  come  across  a 
picture  and  notice  of  clay  balls  from  Missouri;  see  Louis  Houck’s  ‘History  of 
Missouri,’  pp.  45,  4(i. 

“ I also  find  that  there  are  two  or  three  clay  double  cones  like  yours  in  the 
Museum  of  Peabody  Academy  of  Science,  Salem,  Mass.  They  are  from  the 
bed  of  Lake  Pontchartrain,  La.,  if  I am  not  mistaken.” 

The  deposit  of  clay  objects  found  by  us  in  a mound  near  the  Schwing  Place, 
and  described  in  this  report,  was  made  up  of  two  varieties,  namely,  double  cones 
and  similar  forms  having  longitudinal  furrows  in  addition  (see  Fig.  2). 

It  has  occurred  to  us  that  these  objects,  if  used  in  the  hand-game,  were  em- 
ployed by  making  a double  cone  and  one  with  furrows  constitute  a pair,  the 
required  difference  between  the  two  being  attained  in  this  way. 

Mr.  Stewart  Culin,  author  of  “Games  of  the  North  American  Indians,”1 
in  reply  to  a request  for  his  views  as  to  the  clay  objects  in  question,  kindly  has 
sent  the  following  statement : “ I am  unable  to  form  an  opinion  as  to  the  probable 
use  of  the  clay  objects.  They  may  have  been  used  in  games,  but  from  any 
knowledge  of  existing  games  1 have  no  assurance  that  they  were  thus  employed.” 

Persistent  digging  was  done  at  Poverty  Point  into  the  various  dwelling  sites 
in  the  fields,  to  which  we  have  referred,  but  though  soil  indicating  deposit  through 
long  habitation  was  gone  through  to  considerable  depths,  and  various  relics 
were  found,  including  a number  of  the  small,  earthenware  objects  described  and 
the  “plummet”  of  hematite  referred  to,  no  skeletal  remains  were  encountered. 
Presumably,  burials  had  been  made  apart  from  the  places  of  abode  or  had  been 
destroyed  during  the  long-continued  cultivation  of  the  place,  especially  if  buried 
more  or  less  superficially.  It  was,  of  course,  impossible  to  make  a thorough  ex- 
amination of  so  great  a site  as  the  one  under  description,  but  it  is  very  unlikely, 
had  burials  been  in  the  places  investigated,  we  could  have  failed  to  find  some  in 
the  great  amount  of  digging  that  was  done.  It  is  significant,  too,  that  no  history 
of  the  discovery  of  human  bones  is  to  be  had  from  persons  living  on  the  place 
or  connected  with  it.  The  bones  seen  by  Professor  Lockett  at  the  time  of  his 
visit  more  than  forty  years  ago,  may  have  been  on  the  other  sites  referred  to  by 

1 24th  An.  Rep.  Bur.  Am.  Ethn. 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


75 


him  or  may  long  ago  have  disappeared  from  the  surface,  since  fragments  of  bones 
are  far  more  subject  to  disintegration  and  to  decay  than  are  pottery  fragments. 

A description  has  been  given  of  Mound  F on  the  lower  part  of  the  Motley 
Place  which,  as  stated,  is  adjacent  to,  and  above,  the  Poverty  Point  Plantation. 

About  one  mile  N.  by  E.  from  Mound  F,  across  part  of  the  cultivated  portion 
of  the  Motley  Place  and  in  view  from  Mound  F , is  another  mound,  51  feet  in 
height,  and  somewhat  resembling  the  great  mound  on  Poverty  Point,  as  it  is  in 
the  form  of  a ridge,  but  in  this  instance  extending  E.  and  W.  It  presents  a steep 
side  to  the  north.  From  the  southern  side  of  the  mound,  below  the  upper  part 


Fiu.33. — Implement  of  Hint.  Motley  Place. 
(Full  size.) 


Fig.  34. — Charm-stone  of  chalcedony.  Motley  Place. 
(Full  size.) 


ol  the  ridge,  is  an  extension  sloping  downward  to  the  south  until  it  reaches  a 
level  terrace  50  feet  in  width  and  somewhat  less  than  6 feet  in  height.  This 
terrace,  very  symmetrical,  slopes  to  eastward  and  westward,  and  seemingly 
joins  the  general  level  at  the  extremities. 

In  places  in  the  mound  are  deep  gullies  wrought  by  wash  of  rain  over  clay 
insufficiently  protected  by  roots  of  trees,  which  have  impaired  the  symmetry 
of  parts  of  the  mound.  Nevertheless,  this  superb  earthwork,  on  its  terrace 
facing  the  plain  to  the  south,  has  the  appearance  of  a great  temple,  and  such 
probably  it  was. 

So  nearly  as  can  be  determined,  the  diameters  of  the  mound  at  the  present 
time  are:  N.  and  S.,  400  feet  (including  the  extension  but  not  the  terrace);  E.  and 
W.,  560  feet. 

An  examination  of  the  gullies  which  have  laid  bare  large  sections  of  the 
mound  and  do  more  to  aid  examination  of  the  earthwork  than  a long  period  of 


76  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


digging  could  do,  showed  no  sign  of  mixed  soil  or  of  the  presence  of  artifacts  or 
bones. 

A large  part  of  the  cultivated  portion  of  the  Motley  Place  has  been  used 
for  the  production  of  rice,  and  if  any  aboriginal  debris  lay  on  the  surface  in  the 
past  it  was  not  evident  at  the  time  of  our  visit,  when  the  fields,  no  doubt,  were 
covered  to  some  extent  with  sediment  from  water  introduced  for  the  cultivation 
of  this  plant. 

A field,  however,  forming  part  of  this  great  property,  let  to  a colored  man 
named  James  Green,  had  on  the  surface  occasional  fragments  of  earthenware, 
bits  of  flint,  and  a few  arrow  points,  ten  of  which,  unbroken,  were  gathered  by 
the  party.  One  of  these,  of  somewhat  unusual  shape,  is  shown  in  Fig.  33. 

We  were  informed  by  the  tenant  of  this  field  that  he  frequently  found 
objects  of  interest  while  plowing,  and  we  obtained  from  him  a “plummet”  of 
hematite,  2.5  inches  in  length,  grooved  for  suspension,  and  a superb  charm-stone 
of  chalcedony,  shown  in  Fig.  34,  wrought  with  the  greatest  symmetry,  elongate- 
ovoid  in  form.  We  were  informed  by  the  tenant,  from  whom  this  was  acquired, 
that  it  was  the  property  of  his  little  daughter  and  that  she,  at  Faster  time,  when 
the  custom  to  “pick”  eggs  obtains  (namely  to  tap  eggs  together,  the  egg  first 
showing  a break  becoming  the  property  of  the  owner  of  the  unbroken  egg), 
was  accustomed  to  color  the  ornament  and  to  conceal  within  her  hand  that  portion 
which  is  narrow  and  grooved  and  to  “pick”  the  other  end  against  eggs  belonging 
to  her  playmates.  Our  informant  added  that  the  child  had  been  a constant 
winner.  * 

No  trace  of  coloring,  however,  now  mars  the  milk-white  purity  of  the  stone. 

BAYOU  D’ARBONNE,  LOUISIANA. 

Bayou  D’Arbonne,  rising  in  northwestern  Louisiana,  flows  easterly  to  its 
union  with  Ouachita  river,  a short  distance  above  the  city  of  Monroe,  La.  This 
stream  is  navigable  for  about  32  miles  up  to  its  union  with  Bayou  Corney,  while 
Corney  is  open  for  navigation  about  8 miles  farther,  to  Stein  Bluff,  from  which 
point  our  agent,  ('apt.  W.  D.  Platt,  preceded  us  in  a search  to  the  union  with 
Ouachita  river. 

Our  investigation  covered  Bayou  D’Arbonne  to  a point  some  miles  above  its 
union  with  Corney  and  included  three  or  four  miles  of  Bayou  Corney  to  the 
Scott  Place,  above  which  our  agent  had  found  no  aboriginal  sites. 

Most  of  the  lower  20  miles  of  Bayou  D’Arbonne  is  low-lying  and  was  under 
water  at  the  time  of  our  visit.  Our  agent  found  no  aboriginal  sites  on  this  part 
of  the  Bayou. 

Sites  Investigated. 

On  the  Ouchley  Place,  Union  Parish. 

Near  Turkey  Bluff,  Union  Parish. 

Near  Johnson  Landing,  Union  Parish. 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


77 


Near  Ruggs  Bluff,  Union  Parish. 
On  the  Scott  Place,  Union  Parish. 


Site  on  the  Ouchley  Place,  Union  Parish. 

The  Ouchley  Place,  belonging  to  Mr.  R.  Ouchley,  who  lives  upon  it,  is 
about  one-half  mile  back  from  Bayou  D’Arbonne,  at  a place  where  it  is  joined 
by  Rocky  Branch  bayou. 

Part  of  the  Ouchley  Place  is  a large  field  along  the  side  of  which  nearest  the 
bayou  are  a number  of  humps  and  rises.  Some  of  these  were  dug  into  by  us 
unsuccessfully,  the  soil  being  without  evidence  of  having  served  as  dwelling-sites 
to  any  great  extent.  On  the  surface  of  these  slight  elevations,  with  one  exception, 
was  midden  debris  in  small  quantities,  and  it  is  probable  the  sites  had  served  as 
places  of  abode  for  short  periods  or  that  the  midden  material  had  been  washed 
away. 

One  small  hump  had,  superficially,  considerable  debris,  including  a number 
of  small,  barbed  arrowpoints  of  flint.  This  rise  was  dug  into  with  especial  care, 
and  black  soil  showing  former  occupancy  was  found  to  a depth  of  about  one  foot. 
No  burials  were  encountered. 


78  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


Site  near  Turkey  Bluff,  Union  Parish. 

Immediately  back  of  the  landing  at  Turkey  Bluff  are  low  hills.  On  level 
ground,  at  some  elevation  above  the  bayou  and  in  sight  from  it,  is  a field  forming 
part  of  a place  belonging  to  Mr.  S.  J.  Wall,  of  Wall  Lake,  La.  This  field,  fallow 
at  the  time  of  our  visit,  had  on  the  surface  slight  traces  of  former  occupancy  by 
aborigines  and  has  the  reputation  of  having  been  a camping-site  for  them.  The 
made-ground,  however,  presumably  had  disappeared  through  cultivation  and 
through  wash,  taking  with  it  any  burials  that  may  have  been  present. 

Site  near  Johnson  Landing,  Union  Parish. 

About  one-quarter  mile  in  from  Johnson  Landing  is  the  property  of  Mr.  J.  S. 
Meeks,  resident  upon  it.  On  a cultivated  field  forming  part  of  the  place  was 
some  debris,  among  which  were  found  several  arrowpoints  of  flint.  Mr.  Meeks 
informed  us  that  thirty  years  ago  he  had  plowed  up  numerous  human  skulls  in 
a part  of  this  field,  but  that  for  a considerable  time  he  had  found  no  bones  of 
any  kind. 

A number  of  trial-holes  put  down  at  the  spot  designated  by  Mr.  Meeks  came 
upon  no  sign  of  burials,  though  a bicave  of  fine-grained  sandstone,  about  2 inches 
in  diameter,  was  unearthed.  Presumably  at  this  place  all  burials  had  disappeared 
in  the  course  of  cultivation. 

Site  near  Ruggs  Bluff,  Union  Parish. 

A site  near  Ruggs  Bluff,  consisting  of  a field  on  which  were  hammer-stones, 
bits  of  flint,  and  a few  small  fragments  of  pottery,  was  dug  into  by  us  but  found 
to  have  lost  by  cultivation  any  superficial  soil  and  burials  it  formerly  may  have 
had. 

Site  on  the  Scott  Place,  Union  Parish. 

The  Scott  Place,  on  Bayou  Corney,  which,  as  stated,  is  an  affluent  of 
Bayou  D’Arbonne,  belongs  to  Mr.  J.  D.  Baughman,  of  Farmerville,  La.  On 
this  place,  in  full  view  from  the  stream,  on  ground  far  above  the  reach  of  the 
water,  is  a well-preserved,  quadrangular  mound,  with  angles  slightly  rounded 
by  erosion.  This  mound,  somewhat  more  than  11  feet  in  height,  practically 
square,  has  a basal  diameter  of  about  1 10  feet.  Sixty  feet,  approximately,  is  the 
diameter  of  the  summit-plateau.  The  four  corners  of  this  mound  are  not  exactly 
directed  toward  the  cardinal  points,  though  they  are  within  a few  degrees  of 
being  so,  the  eastern  corner,  for  instance,  being  somewhat  south  of  east,  about  the 
direction  the  aborigines  would  obtain  from  the  sun  in  winter. 

In  the  hope  that  superficial  burials  had  been  made  in  this  mound,  which 
evidently  had  been  domiciliary,  trial-holes  were  sunk  over  the  summit-plateau, 
but  almost  at  once  reached  hard,  raw  clay  without  any  admixture  of  midden 
material. 

In  sight  from  the  mound  just  described,  in  a southerly  direction  from  it, 
immediately  at  the  farther  side  of  the  public  road,  is  a mound  with  a flat  top, 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


79 


somewhat  more  than  4 feet  in  height,  measured  from  the  western  side,  though 
from  the  eastern  side,  the  mound  being  on  a slope,  the  height  seems  considerably 
greater.  The  base  of  the  mound,  irregularly  circular,  is  about  75  feet  in  diameter; 
the  summit-plateau  is  32  feet  across. 

Seven  trial-holes  dug  from  the  summit-plateau  of  the  mound  showed  it  to 
be  of  raw  clay  and  sand  without  admixture  of  dark  material  indicating  the 
presence  of  burials.  These  holes,  carried  below  the  base-line  which  was  at  a 
depth  of  from  6.5  to  7 feet,  intersected  no  pits  of  any  kind,  nor  was  there  any  sign 
of  a central  pit  extending  below  the  base. 

Five  feet  below  the  central  part  of  the  summit-plateau  was  a basin-shaped 
fireplace,  3 feet  8 inches  across  at  the  top  and  21  inches  deep.  Filling  the  lower 
part  of  the  fireplace  was  a layer  of  ashes  and  burnt  material  9 inches  in  thickness. 

In  sight  from  the  principal  mound,  in  a southwesterly  direction  from  it, 
are  two  other  mounds,  while  a third  lies  a short  distance  to  the  westward.  These 
mounds,  irregularly  circular  as  to  the  bases,  the  diameter  of  each  of  which  is 
about  50  feet,  are  respectively  2 feet  2 inches,  1 foot,  and  2 feet  3 inches  in  height. 
They  are  composed  of  raw,  yellow  clay  without  any  indication  of  use  for  burial, 
as  was  shown  by  many  trial-holes  sunk  through  them  to  sand  on  which  they  rest. 

South  of  the  mound  is  a great  field,  fallow  at  the  time  of  our  visit,  on  which, 
here  and  there,  were  relics  of  aboriginal  life,  including  two  arrowheads  of  flint. 
Doubtless  the  grass  covered  much  that  could  have  been  apparent  on  plowed 
land,  and  possibly  through  the  presence  of  vegetation  an  aboriginal  cemetery 
was  concealed. 

SALINE  RIVER.  ARKANSAS. 

Saline  river  has  its  source  in  central  Arkansas,  not  far  west  of  Little  Rock, 
and  pursues  a southeasterly  course  to  its  union  with  Ouachita  river,  about  a 
dozen  miles  above  the  Louisiana  border. 

Navigation  on  this  stream  is  blocked  by  a bridge,  58  miles  by  water  above 
its  mouth.  The  territory  from  this  bridge  to  the  river’s  junction  with  the 
Ouachita  was  searched  by  (’apt.  W.  D.  Platt  prior  to  our  coming,  who  found  great 
difficulty  in  obtaining  information  as  to  mounds,  owing  to  the  sparse  population 
along  the  banks  of  the  stream. 

The  river  was  investigated  by  us  for  a distance  of  50  miles,  as  the  river 
runs,  no  aboriginal  sites  of  interest  having  been  discovered  farther  north. 

Along  that  part  of  Saline  river  investigated  by  us  no  burials  were  found  in 
cemeteries,  only  in  mounds,  and  all  mounds  found  by  us  along  this  stream  were 
low  and  without  symmetry — mere  irregular  rises  of  the  ground,  none  apparently 
having  been  otherwise  in  earlier  times. 

The  custom  of  placing  artifacts  with  the  dead  evidently  was  not  practised 
along  that  part  of  Saline  river  investigated  by  us,  with  the  exception  of  pottery, 
and  that  to  a very  limited  extent.  This  pottery  is  of  inferior  ware  and  without 
polish,  though,  as  might  be  expected  of  a region  lying  south  of  Arkansas  river, 


Warreno 


MAP  OF  PART  OFSALINE  RIVER 

Scale  in  miles 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


81 


a considerable  proportion  of  the  vessels  bear  decoration.  This  decoration  in  nearly 
every  case  is  rude.  The  use  of  pigment  (red)  in  the  decoration  of  pottery  was  very 
limited.  No  polychrome  combination  was  found,  nor  was  such  expected  south  of 
Arkansas  river. 

In  form  the  vessels  are  ordinary.  The  water-bottle  was  met  with  but 
once.  The  ware,  while  soft  and  coarse,  is  not  thick,  and  the  vessels  are  fairly 
symmetrical  as  a rule.  In  a word,  this  pottery  belongs  to  the  class  found  in  the 
lower  Mississippi  region,  but  is  of  an  inferior  grade  in  that  class. 

Sites  Investigated. 

On  Goulett  Island,  Ashley  County. 

Near  Godfrey’s  Landing,  Bradley  County. 

Near  Moore’s  Mill,  Bradley  County. 

At  Hampton  Landing,  Bradley  County. 

Near  Lowrie  Landing,  Bradley  County. 

Near  Wherry  Landing,  Bradley  County. 

Near  Wire  Fence  Landing,  Bradley  County. 

Near  Brooks  Landing,  Bradley  County. 

Near  Sutton  Ferry,  Bradley  County. 

Site  on  Goulett  Island,  Ashley  County. 

On  Goulett  Island  is  a site  with  a number  of  small  mounds  of  irregular 
outline,  some  in  sight  from  the  landing  and  all  near  one  another,  on  property 
under  the  management  of  Mr.  W.  J.  Wright,  who  resides  about  three  miles  farther 
up  the  river. 

One  of  these  mounds,  largely  of  clay,  is  2 feet  in  height  and  50  feet  across  its 
irregularly  circular  base.  Of  six  trial-holes  three  came  to  undisturbed,  yellow 
clay  at  a depth  indicated  by  the  height  of  the  mound  as  determined  by  us  from 
the  outside. 

Three  holes,  however,  extended  through  disturbed  soil,  evidently  graves, 
to  a greater  depth,  the  deepest  being  4 feet  4 inches. 

One  of  these  trial-holes,  about  centrally  placed  in  the  mound,  came  upon  a 
fragment  of  human  skull  at  a depth  of  2.5  feet,  and  in  another  of  the  holes  was 
a small  fragment  of  pottery,  of  excellent  ware,  bearing  deep  and  evenly-cut, 
lined  decoration.  An  arrow  head  or  a knife,  of  flint,  and  a small  deposit  of 
pebbles  also  came  from  the  mound. 

Another  mound  of  the  group,  also  circular,  having  a greater  admixture  of 
sand  than  was  present  in  the  preceding  mound,  is  somewhat  less  than  2 feet  in 
height  and  40  feet  in  diameter.  Undisturbed,  yellow  sand  was  reached  at  a 
depth  about  equal  to  the  height  of  the  mound,  without  the  discovery  of  bone  or 
of  artifact. 

Near  these  two  mounds  is  a level  space  covered  with  rich,  black  loam  to  a 
depth  of  from  12  to  18  inches,  containing  midden  debris  here  and  there.  No 
human  bones  were  found  in  it. 


82  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


A little  farther  north  is  another  mound  which  probably  had  been  about 
circular,  but  though  in  thin  woods,  like  this  entire  site,  it  most  likely  had  been 
under  cultivation  at  one  time  and  had  been  plowed  down  considerably  and 
extended.  Its  height  is  between  2 and  3 feet;  its  diameter,  about  80  feet.  It 
is  composed  of  clay  with  an  admixture  of  sand. 


I'Ki.  35. — Vessel  of  earthenware.  Goulett  Island.  (Height  5.2  inches.) 


Twelve  trial-holes  sunk  into  what  was  probably  the  original  mound,  came 
upon  human  remains  in  many  places,  sometimes  in  two  or  three  parts  of  a single 
hole.  The  burials  were  all  near  the  surface,  the  deepest  being  but  one  foot 
down,  while  the  rest  were  from  4 to  8 inches  in  depth. 

As  may  be  supposed,  most  of  the  burials  had  been  much  disturbed  by  the 
plow;  six,  however,  were  unearthed  nearly  intact,  although  all  were  badly  decayed. 
These  six  skeletons  lay  extended  on  the  back;  two  heading  S. ; three,  S.  by  \Y ; 
one,  SSW. 

At  the  right  of  the  skull  of  one  skeleton  was  a pot  of  inferior  ware,  having  by 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


83 


way  of  decoration  incised,  upright  lines  around  the  neck.  The  body,  which  is 
without  decoration,  is  hemispherical,  the  neck  upright,  the  rim  flaring. 

Near  the  skull  of  a badly  disturbed  skeleton  was  that  part  of  a vessel  which 
plowing  had  left.  On  four  sides  of  the  body  are  double,  upright,  beaded  fillets, 
the  most  of  the  surface  being  covered  with  a design  of  trailed  lines  (Fig.  35). 
This  vessel  has  been  restored  to  some  extent. 

Near  fragments  of  bones  lay  a rude  knife  of  chert. 

Another  mound,  about  3 feet  in  height  and  80  feet  by  90  feet  in  diameter, 
proved  to  be  of  raw  clay  with  no  sign  of  interments. 

Site  near  Godfrey’s  Landing,  Bradley  County. 

About  one-quarter  mile  in  a SW.  direction  from  Godfrey’s  Landing  is  a 
small  clearing  in  woods,  which  has  been  under  cultivation  for  a considerable 
period.  It  is  higher  than  much  of  the  surrounding  country,  and  we  were  told 
it  was  not  submerged  in  the  great  flood  of  1912.  This  field  forms  part  of  a 
property  under  management  of  Mr.  W . G.  Wright,  who  resides  on  the  place. 

The  field  to  a depth  of  about  18  inches  is  covered  with  a black,  sandy  loam 
which  evidently  had  received  its  color  through  aboriginal  habitation.  Scattered 
over  the  surface  were  fragments  of  human  bones,  bits  of  pottery  of  inferior  ware 
and  rude  decoration,  parts  of  mussel-shells,  and  three  arrowheads  of  flint,  two 
small  and  barbed,  one  elongated  without  barbs. 

Considerable  digging  by  us  in  this  field  showed  burials  to  have  been  com- 
paratively numerous  there.  Many,  however,  had  been  disturbed,  by  cultivation 
in  most  cases,  occasionally  by  the  rooting  of  hogs. 

The  burials  lay  none  deeper  than  18  inches,  sometimes  in  the  dark  loam, 
sometimes  on  the  undisturbed,  yellow  sand  which  underlay  the  loam. 

In  addition  to  the  disturbed  burials,  five' others  were  unearthed,  complete 
though  badly  decayed,  four  of  adults,  one  of  an  adolescent,  all  extended  at  full 
length  on  the  back,  the  heads  variously  directed.  No  artifact  lay  with  any 
burial  at  this  place. 

Site  near  Moore’s  Mill,  Bradley  County. 

At  a place  called  Moore’s  Mill,  probably  through  the  former  presence  of  a saw- 
mill there,  and  which  is  known  also  as  the  Jack  Fogle  Place,  after  the  name  of  a 
former  owner,  is  a property  belonging  to  Mr.  Samuel  Clanton,  who  lives  near 
Johnsville,  Ark. 

On  this  property,  which  is  immediately  on  the  river  bank,  are  three  mounds, 
two  within  a large  cultivated  field  and  one  just  outside. 

Over  the  field  in  places  is  much  dwelling-site  debris,  including  many  bits  of 
pottery  of  rather  less  than  average  excellence. 

There  were  collected  by  the  party:  three  small  celts,  given  away  before  iden- 
tification as  to  their  material;  many  delicate,  barbed  arrowheads  of  flint;  one 
barbless  point  of  the  same  material,  nearly  three  inches  in  length;  a flint  knife 
with  rounded  cutting  edge. 


84  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


Toward  the  NE.  end  of  the  cultivated  field  was  a rise  above  the  level  of 
the  surrounding  territory,  having  a maximum  height  of  2 feet.  The  diameter 
was  about  70  feet.  It  was  apparent,  however,  that  the  height  of  the  mound  had 
been  impaired  through  cultivation  and  that  the  consequent  spreading  of  material 
had  added  to  the  original  diameter. 

Over  the  surface  was  much  midden  debris,  including  a fragment  of  pottery 
on  which  was  red  pigment,  and  bits  of  human  bones,  among  which  was  part  of  a 
lower  jaw. 

With  the  aid  of  converging  trenches  it  was  determined  that  a space  about 
27  feet  by  43  feet  contained  what  burials  remained,  most  of  which,  it  may  be  said, 
were  found  in  the  NE.  part  of  the  mound  where,  according  to  a former  owner  of 
the  place,  burials  had  been  plowed  up  by  him. 

The  space  described  was  completely  dug  out  by  us  to  a depth  of  from  2 to  3 
feet,  where  undisturbed  material  of  light  color  was  encountered.  The  mound 
itself  was  mainly  a brown  mixture  of  sand  and  clay,  the  sand  predominating. 

As  the  digging  progressed,  it  became  evident  that  the  mound,  when  higher, 
had  contained  numerous  burials,  but  that  many  of  these,  if  not  most  of  them, 
had  been  plowed  away  wholly  or  in  part.  Many  parts  of  skeletons  through  which 
the  plow  had  gone  were  encountered,  and  scattered  bones  also  were  numerous. 
The  deepest  burial  was  14  inches  down. 

Excluding  recent  disturbances  and  several  aboriginal  ones  made  by  inter- 
section of  graves,  seven  burials  were  encountered,  all  of  adults  and  all  extended 
on  the  back,  except  one  which  lay  partly  flexed  on  the  right  side,  the  head 
directed  ENE.  The  other  burials  headed  as  follows:  NE.,  3;  ENE.,  2;  SW.,  1. 

With  the  burials  were  five  vessels  of  inferior  ware,  broken  and  whole,  and 
two  vessels,  similar  to  the  others  in  quality,  were  met  with  apart  from  human 
remains. 

Most  of  the  vessels  exhibit  some  attempt  at  decoration,  scanty  as  a rule  and 
poorly  executed.  One  pot  has  incised  lines  around  the  neck  and  a beaded  margin ; 
another  has  a scalloped  neck  and  series  of  incised,  festooned  lines  on  the  upper 
part  of  the  body.  Apart  from  bones  was  a small  celt  evidently  smoothed  from  a 
pebble. 

In  the  northern  corner  of  the  field  is  a mound  or  a ridge  of  irregular  shape 
and  height.  The  maximum  height  slightly  exceeds  2 feet;  the  greatest  breadth 
is  100  feet.  The  length  of  the  ridge,  which  evidently  increased  under  occupancy, 
is  740  feet  approximately.  Near  each  end  of  it  is  a kind  of  hump,  that  nearer 
the  river  having  been  the  cemetery  of  the  Fogle  family,  we  were  told  by  a former 
owner  of  the  place. 

Holes  sunk  in  the  other  hump  passed  through  the  dark,  mixed  material  of 
the  dwelling-site  to  hard  clay  at  a depth  of  about  one  foot.  In  other  parts  of 
the  ridge  the  mixed  soil  is  deeper,  sometimes  reaching  a depth  of  about  2 feet. 
Fragments  of  human  bones  were  on  the  surface  at  one  place,  and  there  we  came 
upon  a badly  decayed  skeleton  partly  flexed  on  the  right  side,  the  head  directed 
to  the  east. 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS.  85 


Near  the  ridge  are  two  deposits  of  mussel-shells,  mostly  broken — refuse 
from  aboriginal  meals. 

Outside  the  fence,  near  the  river,  is  a small  mound  having  a large  depression 
in  the  central  part  where,  presumably,  some  excavator  had  been  at  work. 

This  place,  no  doubt,  had  been  a site  of  some  importance,  but  long-con- 
tinued cultivation  presumably  had  destroyed  most  of  the  burials  that  formerly 
had  been  there. 

Site  at  Hampton  Landing,  Bradley  County. 

Immediately  at  Hampton  Landing  is  cleared  ground,  higher  than  most  of 
the  surrounding  country,  belonging  to  Mr.  Edward  Outlaw,  who  lives  about  one 
mile  distant.  On  the  surface  of  this  clearing  were  a few  scattered  bits  of  flint 
and  of  inferior  pottery.  A small,  barbed  arrowhead  of  flint  was  picked  up  also. 

The  rich  layer  of  sandy  loam  on  the  cleared  ground  was  not  much  more  than 
a foot  in  thickness.  Of  two  burials  found  in  this  layer  one  had  been  badly  dis- 
turbed and  consisted  of  only  a few  scattered  bones. 

The  other  burial,  an  elongated  layer  of  a single  thickness  of  bones,  contained 
parts  of  at  least  seven  skeletons,  as  fragments  of  that  number  of  skulls  were 
found.  These  skulls  had  been  placed  together  at  one  end  of  the  layer. 

Near  the  skulls  was  a small  lump  of  red  oxide  of  iron,  the  only  object  found 
with  the  interment. 

Site  near  Gee  Landing,  Drew  County. 

Not  far  from  Gee  Landing  is  a farm  on  which  our  agent  saw  considerable 
debris  on  the  surface  and  thought  it  likely  that  it  marked  a former  dwelling-site 
of  the  aborigines.  The  owner  of  the  place,  however,  demanded  a price  for  the 
investigation,  which  we  were  not  willing  to  accord. 

Site  near  Lowrie  Landing,  Bradley  County. 

Lowrie  Landing  has  behind  it  a narrow  strip  of  woods  which  is  submerged 
in  periods  of  high  water.  Back  of  this  is  a large  field  on  elevated  ground,  forming 
part  of  the  property  of  Messrs.  Howard  and  David  Webb  who  live  somewhat 
farther  back  in  the  country.  At  several  places  in  this  field  the  ground  was  dark 
and  had  on  the  surface  considerable  midden  debris,  including  bits  of  coarse 
pottery,  broken  arrowheads  of  flint,  hammer-stones,  etc. 

In  but  one  of  these  promising  looking  places,  however,  were  burials  met  with, 
their  presence  being  indicated  by  fragments  of  human  bones  on  the  surface. 
Considerable  digging  unearthed  four  burials,  all  badly  disturbed  and  scattered, 
as  hardly  could  have  been  otherwise,  lying  as  they  did  but  a few  inches  below  the 
surface.  No  artifacts  were  associated  with  them. 

Several  low,  irregular  rises  of  the  ground  on  the  borders  of  the  field  were 
dug  into  without  success,  one  being  a shell-heap  from  which  the  following  shells 
have  been  identified  by  Doctor  Pilsbry:  Quadrula  plicata , Q.  nodifera,  Q.  trigona, 

6 JOURN.  ACAD.  NAT.  SCI.  PIIILA.,  VOL.  XVI. 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS.  87 


Q.  metanever,  Q.  tuberculata,  Q.  rejiexa,  Unio  gibbosus,  U.  crassidens,  Obovaria 
castanea. 

Mound  near  Wherry  Landing,  Bradley  County. 

In  sight  from  Wherry  Landing,  in  a cultivated  field  forming  part  of  the  plan- 
tation of  Air.  J.  M.  Ferrell,  of  Johnsville,  Ark.,  is  a mound  of  irregular  outline, 
probably  averaging  about  60  feet  in  diameter,  though  its  original  extent  is  dif- 
ficult to  determine,  as  the  mound  had  been  under  cultivation  and,  it  is  said,  had 
been  surrounded  by  water  in  flood-times.  An  old  colored  man,  owning  an  ad- 
joining field,  informed  us  that  the  mound  had  not  been  cultivated  since  1877, 
when  plowing  over  it  was  abandoned  owing  to  the  number  of  human  bones 
brought  to  the  surface.  The  mound,  about  3 feet  in  height,  is  covered  with  a 
growth  of  pine  trees,  which  somewhat  interfered  with  complete  investigation. 

This  mound,  of  sand  with  a slight  admixture  of  clay,  was  fairly  riddled  with 
trial-holes  by  us,  nearly  all  of  which,  except  those  in  the  outer  parts,  after  reaching 
burials,  were  considerably  extended. 

No  burial  was  found  at  a depth  greater  than  14  inches  from  its  upper  surface, 
though  discolored  sand  in  places  in  the  mound  went  to  a depth  of  2 feet  8 inches 
before  yellow,  underlying  sand  was  reached. 

There  had  been  considerable  aboriginal  disturbance  in  the  mound  owing  to 
burials  cutting  through  others.  When  but  few  scattered  bones  were  encountered, 
presumably  the  result  of  such  disturbance,  they  were  not  included  in  our  list  of 
burials. 

An  interesting  feature  in  this  mound  was  the  placing  by  the  aborigines  of 
skeletons  in  a way  that  the  heads  were  directed  toward  the  south,  so  far  as  we 
could  determine,  the  heads  of  all  undisturbed  burials  being  thus  arranged. 

We  shall  now  detail  each  burial,  the  skeletons,  when  not  otherwise  described, 
having  been  of  adults,  at  full  length  on  the  back.  No  bones  were  in  a condition 
to  save. 

Burial  No.  1,  a disturbance  probably  caused  by  the  placing  of  Burial  No.  2. 
This  burial  (No.  1)  had  sustained  in  life  a fracture  of  the  thigh,  which  had  united 
as  shown  in  Fig.  36.  This  bone  was  presented  by  us  to  the  United  States  Army 
Medical  Museum,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Burial  No.  2,  heading  SSE.,  had  at  the  right  side  of  the  skull  an  undecorated 
pot  with  flaring  rim. 

Burial  No.  3,  with  the  skull  directed  SSE.,  had  over  the  lower  part  of  the 
left  leg  an  undecorated  vessel,  somewhat  broken,  containing  a mussel-shell. 

Burial  No.  4,  the  head  pointing  SSE.,  had  at  the  right  forearm  what  re- 
mained of  parts  of  eight  tools  made  from  scapulae  of  deer.  These  tools,  all  of 
the  lower  parts  of  which  were  missing  through  decay,  each  had  a perforation 
made  in  the  following  way:  the  head  of  the  scapula  had  been  removed,  a hole 
had  been  made  down  the  neck  of  the  scapula  to  communicate  with  another  hole 
pierced  through  one  side  of  the  neck.  With  these  fragmentary  tools  were  two 
parts  of  the  lower  jaw  of  deer. 


88  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


Near  the  pelvis  of  the  skeleton,  between  the  thighs,  was  a celt  less  than  2 
inches  long,  probably  smoothed  down  from  a pebble. 

Burial  No.  5,  head  SE.,  had  near  the  head  a pot  bearing,  by  way  of  decora- 
tion, rude  impressions  of  a pointed  tool. 

Burial  No.  6,  head  SE. 

Burial  No.  7,  a disturbance. 

Burial  No.  8.  This  skeleton  lay  with  the  trunk  extended  on  the  back  and 
had  the  right  thigh  and  leg  flexed  toward  the  trunk  at  somewhat  less  than  a 


Fig.  37. — Pipe  of  sandstone.  Wherry  Landing.  (Full  size.) 


right  angle.  The  left  extremity  was  missing,  probably  through  the  proximity 
of  another  grave.  At  the  left  humerus  was  a vessel  with  flaring  rim,  having 
indistinct  trailed  decoration. 

Burial  No.  9 had  the  skull  directed  nearly  SSE. 

Burial  No.  10  lay  with  the  head  pointing  SSE.  At  the  outer  side  of  the 
right  elbow  was  an  effigy-pipe  of  sandstone,  shown  in  two  positions  in  Figs.  37,  38 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS.  89 


and  in  section  in  Fig.  39.  This  pipe,  4.75  inches  in  height,  is  coarsely  made  and 
has  suffered  superficial  disintegration.  It  represents  a human  figure  seated  on 
its  lower  limbs,  which  extend  under  and  inward  diagonally.  The  figure,  which 
faces  the  smoker,  holds  a biconical  pipe.  While  in  other  respects  this  effigy- 
pipe  is  not  of  especial  interest,  the  fact  that  it  has  an  entire  biconical  pipe,  that 
is  to  say  not  only  the  bowl  but  the  portion  made  for  the  insertion  of  the  stem, 
places  it  among  a class  that  has  few  representatives.  Almost  invariably  when 


Fig.  38. — Pipe  of  sandstone.  Side  view.  (Full  size.) 


a human  figure  is  represented  holding  any  part  of  a pipe,  it  is  the  bowl  alone,  and 
the  stem  of  the  pipe  has  an  orifice  to  receive  it  in  the  back  of  the  figure,  and  not 
like  the  bowl,  outside  the  figure.  In  fact  the  only  other  exception  to  this  rule 
that  we  know  of  (though  no  doubt  there  are  others)  is  the  effigy-pipe  of  earthen- 
ware found  by  us  last  season  in  the  mound  at  Gahagan,  La.,  Red  River,  and 
shown  in  our  “Some  Aboriginal  Sites  on  Red  River/'1  Figs.  13,  14,  15,  16,  17. 

1 Journ.  Acad.  Xat.  Sci.  of  Phila.,  5 ol.  XIV. 


90  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


Mr.  McGuire’s  exhaustive  work1  shows  no  figure  holding  a biconical  pipe. 

Burial  No.  11.  a bunched  burial,  had  with  it  a bottle,  the  body  and  the  neck 
being  a few  inches  apart,  the  proximal  end  of  the  neck  turned  from  the  body  of 
the  bottle,  showing  that  the  break  had  occurred  before  interment.  On  the  body 
and  neck  of  this  bottle,  in  places,  is  decoration  traced  with  a point  in  the  rudest 
possible  manner.  Here  and  there  in  the  lines  are  traces  of  red  pigment. 


Burials  Nos.  12  and  13  lay  with  the  heads  directed  SSE. 

Burial  No.  14.  This  skeleton,  heading  SSE.,  is  the  one  whose  grave  cut 
through  Burial  No.  7.  On  and  at  the  side  of  this  burial  (Burial  No.  14)  bones 
had  been  piled,  covering  the  skeleton  closely  from  the  skull  to  the  pelvis,  inclusive. 
Farther  down,  the  bones  continued,  but  were  less  closely  placed.  In  this  col- 
lection of  disconnected  remains  were  four  skulls. 

1 J.  D.  McGuire,  “Pipes  and  Smoking  Customs  of  the  American  Aborigines,”  Report  of 
the  U.  S.  National  Museum,  1897. 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS.  91 


With  these  bones  was  a rude  arrowhead  or  knife,  of  flint;  a slab  of  fer- 
ruginous sandstone;  a spherical  pebble  about  the  size  of  a pigeon’s  egg;  nine 
ulnae  of  deer,  with  articular  parts  remaining.  Three  of  these  last  were  unfinished 
tools;  three  had  rounded  points;  one,  a sharp  point;  and  two  had  the  points  absent 
through  breakage. 

Burial  No.  15,  another  disturbance  cut  through  by  Burial  No.  14.  At 
the  right  of  the  skull  lay  a vessel,  badly  crushed  by  roots,  upon  which  had  been 
an  incised  design  of  some  kind. 

Burial  No.  16  had  the  head  directed  S.  At  the  right  of  the  skull  was  an 
undecorated  bowl,  beside  which  was  another  bowl  in  small  fragments,  which  had 
borne  a rude,  trailed  design. 

Burial  No.  17.  A small  bunch  with  an  undecorated  pot  in  association. 

Burial  No.  18.  A skeleton  with  the  head  directed  S.,  having  a small  de- 
posit of  bones  in  connection  with  it. 

Burial  No.  19,  with  the  head  directed  S.  by  E.,  had  nearby  a few  scattered, 
human  bones,  perhaps  a disturbance. 

Burial  No.  20  lay  with  the  head  S.  by  E.  At  the  right  side  of  the  legs 
was  a bunched  burial,  including  four  skulls.  With  this  latter  burial  was  an 
undecorated  bowl  crushed  to  fragments. 

The  ware  of  all  the  vessels  from  this  mound  is  of  inferior  quality. 

Site  near  Wire  Fence  Landing,  Bradley  County. 

About  one-half  mile  southwestwardly  from  Wire  Fence  Landing  is  a property 
including  two  fields  which  until  very  recently  belonged  to  the  Bradley  Lumber 
Company,  of  Warren,  Ark.,  but  of  which  Mr.  William  Harding,  who  lives  about 
four  miles  distant,  is  now  the  owner. 

The  field  nearer  the  river,  fallow  at  the  time  of  our  visit,  bore  on  the  surface 
some  evidence  of  former  occupancy  by  the  aborigines,  including  a number  of 
arrowpoints  of  inferior  make,  the  smaller  ones  among  which  are  barbed. 

Partly  in  the  field  and  in  part  covered  with  small  pine  trees,  probably  a 
recent  growth,  was  a low  ridge  of  irregular  shape  and  of  undetermined  extent, 
since  one  end  of  it  seemed  to  merge  with  the  level  of  surrounding  woods.  The 
highest  part  of  this  ridge  probably  was  not  more  than  one  foot  above  the  rest 
of  the  field. 

The  soil  of  which  the  ridge  was  composed  was  loamy  sand  which  extended 
about  18  inches  to  undisturbed  brown  sand. 

This  ridge  evidently  had  served  as  a place  of  burial  to  a considerable  extent, 
as  almost  every  trial-hole  sunk  by  us  came  upon  human  remains,  and  often  the 
discovery  of  one  burial  led  to  that  of  another,  so  that  the  finding  of  five  or  six 
interments  resulted  from  a single  hole. 

The  two  burials  which  showed  no  disturbance  lay  at  full  length  upon  the 
back,  but  as  none  of  the  others  encountered  by  us  had  been  placed  more  than 
6 inches  into  the  underlying  brown  sand,  there  had  been  considerable  disar- 


92  ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS. 


rangement  of  these  by  contact  with  the  plow.  Some  of  the  deeper  graves  had 
been  disturbed  by  other  graves  in  aboriginal  times. 

With  the  burials  was  no  artifact  of  any  kind,  with  the  exception  of  eleven 
vessels  of  earthenware,  some  of  which  were  badly  broken.  The  ware  from  this 
place  is  of  inferior  quality,  the  shapes  are  commonplace  (pots  and  bowls),  and 


Fig.  40. — Vessel  of  earthenware.  Wire  Fence  Landing.  (Diam.  S.l  inches.) 


decoration,  when  present,  as  a rule  is  crude.  One  vessel  from  this  place,  more 
interesting  than  the  rest,  is  shown  in  Fig.  40. 

Site  near  Brooks  Landing,  Bradley  County. 

About  one-half  mile  southeastwardly  from  Brooks  Landing  is  a field  forming- 
part  of  a property  belonging  to  Mr.  Augustus  Turner,  who  lives  on  another 
place  a short  distance  from  it.  At  the  northeastern  end  of  the  field  are  two 


ABORIGINAL  SITES  IN  LOUISIANA  AND  IN  ARKANSAS.  93 


mounds  in  sight  one  from  another,  one  in  the  field,  the  other  just  beyond  its 
limits,  in  the  woods. 

The  mound  in  the  field  has  been  under  cultivation  and  is  greatly  spread 
in  consequence.  Its  height  is  about  4.5  feet;  the  diameter  of  its  base,  which  is 
roughly  circular,  is  about  90  feet.  Trial-holes  in  this  mound  came  upon  compact, 
yellow  clay.  No  burial  or  artifact  of  any  kind  was  met  with. 

The  mound  in  the  woods,  about  7.5  feet  in  height,  is  of  irregular  basal 
outline,  its  diameter  being  perhaps  about  115  feet.  Practically  no  sign  of  abori- 
ginal occupancy  wras  noticed  in  the  field. 

About  one-quarter  mile  SW.  from  the  field  just  described  is  another,  a 
small  one  belonging  to  the  same  owner.  In  one  part  of  this  field  was  considerable 
midden  debris;  the  soil  was  black  and  had  a promising  appearance.  A human 
skull  was  said  to  have  been  plowed  up  at  this  place.  Trial-holes,  however,  soon 
came  upon  underlying  yellow  clay  and  no  burials  were  discovered. 

Site  near  Sutton  Ferry,  Bradley  County. 

Following  the  road  about  one-quarter  mile  in  from  Sutton  Ferry,  on  property 
of  Mr.  B.  H.  Ozment,  who  lives  at  the  ferry  but  on  the  side  of  the  river  opposite 
from  the  field,  is  cultivated  land  having  in  its  vicinity  a number  of  small,  low, 
irregular  mounds  such  as  are  so  often  found  on  aboriginal  sites  in  Arkansas  and 
in  which  burials  seldom  are  discovered. 

On  the  surface  of  the  field  was  considerable  midden  debris,  which  included 
many  arrowheads  of  flint,  mostly  rude,  some  being  simply  flakes  given  the  out- 
line of  projectile  points.  No  burials  were  found  by  us  in  this  field,  though  a 
place  of  burial  in  it  or  near  it  most  probably  was  there  in  the  past. 

At  Sutton  Ferry,  said  to  be  nine  or  ten  miles  by  water  from  the  railroad 
bridge  near  Warren,  Ark.,  which  is  the  end  of  navigation  on  Saline  river,  our 
investigation  of  that  stream  came  to  an  end,  the  reports  of  our  agents  as  to  sites 
to  the  northward  not  being  of  a nature  to  warrant  further  search. 


A Report  on  a Collection  of  Crania  and  Bones  from  Sorrel 
Bayou,  Iberville  Parish,  Louisiana. 

By  Ur.  A.  Hrdlicka. 

Curator,  Division  of  Physical  Anthropology,  U.  S.  National  Museum. 

The  collection  received  in  the  spring  of  1913  from  Mr.  Clarence  B.  Moore 
comprises  17  skulls  and  parts  of  one  skeleton.  Of  this  material,  16  skulls  and  a 
few  bones  come  from  a mound  on  Sorrel  Bayou,  Iberville  Parish,  Louisiana, 
while  one  skull  is  from  a mound  near  Wherry  Landing  in  Bradley  Co.,  Arkansas. 
The  latter  specimen  is  a moderately  brachycephalic  cranium  of  an  adult  female, 
with  just  a trace  of  fronto-occipital  deformation,  and  represents  a type  which 
was  previously  described  in  these  reports  by  the  writer  and  need  not  here  be 
further  considered.1 

The  Sorrel  Bayou  material  was  found,  according  to  Mr.  Moore,  with  one 
exception,  in  deposits  of  skulls  and  bones  where  the  specimens  lay  in  complete 
confusion.  The  exception  was  one  skeleton  lying  in  a closely  flexed  position 
and  on  its  left  side.  From  this  subject  it  was  possible  to  save  a few  bones  besides 
the  skull. 

The  16  crania  include  8 males  and  8 females,  all  adults,  and  ranging  between 
approximately  35  and  60  years  of  age.  They  differ  in  color  from  pale  dirty 
yellowish  white,  to  obscure  black-splotched  brown.  This  is  a somewhat  re- 
markable variety  of  shade  from  one  burial-place,  but  it  can  probably  be  explained 
by  the  assumption  that  the  mound  was  a secondary  place  of  interment  and  that 
before  transfer  the  individual  subjects  lay  in  soil  of  different  composition.  All 
the  specimens  are  of  good  consistency  and  present  no  fossilization,  but  also  no 
traces  of  greenness. 

None  of  the  crania  present  any  recent  or  large  wounds,  or  any  disease  or 
pathological  deformity.  On  the  contrary  they  are  uncommonly  normal  and  well 
developed. 

The  skulls  in  particular  show  a good  development  in  size,  with  strong  facial 
parts  and  other  features,  giving  the  impression  that  they  belonged  to  people  of 
more  than  average  stature  and  musculature. 

Regrettably,  all  of  the  skulls  are  artificially  deformed,  presenting  more  or 
less  marked  fronto-occipital  compression.  This  diminishes  the  value  of  their 
measurements  and  increases  the  difficulties  of  their  correct  anthropological 
classification.  Fortunately,  with  three  or  four  exceptions,  the  deformation  is 
moderate  enough  to  permit  a visual  appreciation  of  the  true  type  of  the  specimens. 

1 See  this  Journal,  XIII,  1908,  pp.  558-563;  XIV,  1909,  pp.  173-240;  and  XIV,  1912,  pp.  639-640. 

95 

7 JOURN.  ACAD.  NAT.  SCI.  PHILA..  VOL.  XVI. 


96 


CRANIA  AND  BONES  FROM  SORREL  BAYOU. 


On  the  whole,  it  is  determinable  that  the  series  represents  a fairly  uniform 
single  strain  of  people;  that  this  strain  was  characterized  by  rather  large  lower 
jaws  and  broad  upper  dental  arches;  by  a relative  fullness  of  the  face,  the  sub- 
orbital depressions  being  but  little  marked;  by  a quite  pronounced  though  not 
extreme  prognathism;  by  large,  though  at  the  same  time  high  nasal  aperture; 
and  by  good  sized,  megaseme  orbits.  The  supraorbital  ridges  while  strongly 
developed  in  the  males  are  not  especially  heavy,  and  the  forehead,  though 


Fig.  la. — The  lowest  dorsal  and  upper  three  lumbar  vertebrae  of  skeleton  Xo.  277,730,  U.  S.  X.  M., 
showing  diseased  condition  and  bend  forward.  Front  view. 


sloping  slightly  more  backward  than  in  whites,  would  have  shown  evidently  in 
no  case  a decided  natural  slant. 

The  vault  is  as  a rule  of  a very  fair  height;  its  outline,  seen  from  above, 
approaches  the  ovoid  or  the  elliptical.  The  cephalic  index  ranged  through 
mesocephaly,  with  a few  of  the  forms  possibly  slightly  shorter.  The  skulls 
resemble  in  this  and  other  respects  quite  closely  the  crania  excavated  by  Mr. 
Clarence  B.  Moore  on  a former  occasion  at  Johnson  Place,  Avoyelles  Parish,  La. 
(though  those  were  not  deformed),  and  also  a certain  proportion  of  the  crania 
collected  by  Mr.  Moore  and  others  in  southern  Arkansas.  They  arc  remarkably 
like  the  less  narrow  type  of  crania  among  the  Siouan  people  and  the  more  southern 


CRANIA  AND  BONES  FROM  SORREL  BAYOU. 


97 


Iroquois.  To  the  southwest  ward,  they  are  related  to  the  few  undeformed  crania 
that  we  now  know  from  the  Port  Arthur  region  and  from  Galveston. 

The  above  suggestions  are  about  all  that  can  at  present  be  ventured  with 
some  safety.  The  anthropologist  works  under  great  difficulties  in  these  regions, 
on  one  hand  on  account  of  the  head  deformations,  and  on  the  other  because  of 
lack  of  well-identified  comparative  material  from  such  tribes  as  the  Choctaw  and 
their  neighbors  on  one  side,  the  Chitimacha  and  Atakapa  on  the  other  and  the 


Fig.  lb. — The  lowest  dorsal  and  upper  three  lumbar  vertebrae  of  skeleton  No.  277,730,  U.  S.  N.  M., 
showing  diseased  condition  and  bend  forward.  Side  view. 


Natchez  people  to  the  north.  However,  if  collections  such  as  those  of  Mr.  Moore 
continue  to  be  made  we  shall  a few  years  hence  be  in  a position  to  give  a more 
definite  account  of  the  nature  of  the  remains  from  these  territories  than  is  now 
possible. 

Special  Remarks:  With  the  exception  of  a few  insignificant  impressions  due 
to  old  knocks,  occasional  traces  of  arthritis  in  the  glenoid  fossa  and  on  the 


98 


CRANIA  AND  BONES  FROM  SORREL  BAYOU. 


condyloid  process  of  the  lower  jaw,  and  three  instances  of  exostoses  in  the  distal 
part  of  the  auditory  meatus,1  the  16  crania  show  nothing  pathological.  Even 
the  teeth,  though  in  some  cases  showing  advanced  wear,  are  uncommonly 
healthy,  out  of  the  401  teeth  present  only  six  (in  five  skulls)  presenting  slight  to 
moderate  caries.2  In  three  or  four  instances  there  evidently  existed,  however, 
some  pyorrhoea. 

As  to  anomalies,  there  are  none  worthy  of  special  mention;  two  of  the  male 
skulls  are  however  very  heavy,  one  with  its  lower  jaw  reaching  the  weight  of 
fully  three  pounds.  Two  of  the  lower  jaws,  though  otherwise  normal,  are  of 
extraordinary  size  even  for  the  Indian. 

Opposed  to  the  very  healthy  state  of  the  skulls,  the  bones  of  the  skeleton  of 
No.  277,730  show  considerable  disease.  They  present  what  is  either  tuberculosis 
or  a very  pronounced  form  of  arthritis,  of  the  lowest  dorsal  and  especially  the 
upper  lumbar  vertebrae — with  moderate  curvature  forward  of  the  spine  at  this 
place  (Figs,  la,  2a);  an  abscess  cavity  in  the  distal  end  of  the  left  clavicle;  more 
or  less  marked  traces  of  periostitis  on  all  of  the  long  bones  as  well  as  both  of  the 
clavicles;  and  signs  of  arthritis  on  one  of  the  condyles  of  the  right  femur,  as  well 
as  the  lower  articular  surface  of  the  right  (the  left  absent)  humerus.  These 
bones  represent  one  of  the  two  skeletons  in  the  mound  whose  parts  were  found  in 
association  and  may  belong  to  an  intrusive,  later  burial. 

1 In  two  males  quite  marked  bilateral,  in  one  male  slight  unilateral. 

2 Of  those  absent  all  but  15  were  lost  post-mortem;  and  13  of  these  15  were  lost  in  life  by  one  of  the 


women. 


CRANIA  AND  BONES  FROM  SORREL  BAYOU. 


99 


ABSTRACT  OF  MEASUREMENTS. 


Crania. 

Males. 

Females. 

Average, 

cm. 

Mini- 
mum, cm. 

Maxi- 
mum, cm. 

Average, 

cm. 

Mini- 
mum, cm. 

Maxi- 
mum, cm. 

Cranial  capacity  (author’s  method) 

1584  c.c. 

1430  c.c. 

1740  c.c. 

1338  c.c. 

1230  c.c. 

1445  c.c. 

Mean  cranial  diameter  (cranial  module) 

/length  + breadth  + basion-bg.  height  \ 

V 3 / 

16.20 

15.30 

16.47 

14.92 

14.43 

15.40 

Thickness  of  skull  (along  and  1 cm.  above 

squamous  sut.) 

6 mm. 

4-7 

6-8 

6 mm. 

4-6 

6-8 

(a)  Total  height  of  face  (menton-nasion) 

13.2 

11.8 

14.2 

11.3 

10.9 

11.7 

(b)  Upper  height  of  face  (alveolar  point-nasion) . 

7.9 

7.2 

8.5 

7.1 

6.3 

7.9 

(c)  Diameter  bizygomatic  max 

14.9 

13.5 

15.4 

13.4 

12.9 

14.3 

Facial  index,  total  

88.5 

85.5 

r acial  index,  upper  ( ) 

53.2 

52.6 

Index  of  facial  prognathism  (angle  between 

lines  basion-alveolar  point  and  alveolar  point- 

nasion) 

71° 

71,5° 

Index  of  alveolar  prognathism  (angle  between 

lines  basion-alveolar  point  and  alveolar  point- 

subnasal  point) 

56° 

55° 

Orbits:  Mean  height 

3.66 

3.5 

3.85 

3.57 

3.25 

3.8 

Mean  breadth 

4 07 

3.8 

4.35 

3.84 

3.55 

4.05 

Mean  index 

90. 

93. 

Nasal  aperture:  Height 

5.6 

5.15 

5.85 

5.1 

4.5 

5.6 

Breadth 

2.8 

2.55 

3.3 

2.6 

2.1 

2.9 

Index 

50.4 

50.4 

Lower  jaw:  Height  of  symphysis 

4- 

3.5 

4.4 

3.2 

2.9 

3.4 

Thickness  at  2d  molar 

1.75 

1.55 

2. 

1.6 

1.35 

1.8 

Diameter  bigonial 

11. 

9.7 

12.2 

10.1 

9.6 

10.5 

Angle 

114° 

104° 

125° 

122° 

116° 

129° 

Circumference,  greatest  horizontal 

51.6 

49.3 

53.2 

48.7 

47.0 

50.3 

Sagittal  arc  (nasion-opisthion) 

36.9 

35.5 

38.1 

35. 

34.1 

36.3 

Nasion-bregma  segment 

12.8 

12. 

Bregma-lambda  segment 

12.1 

12. 

Lambda-opisthion  segment 

12.0 

11. 

INDEX. 


Absence  of  artifacts  with  burials,  10,  11,  15,  30,  34, 
3S,  40,  45,  40,  00,  79,  83,  85 
Absence  of  sherds  from  Poverty  Point,  . .70 

Advance  search  for  mounds, 7 

Alabama  Bayou,  mound  on 18 

Alphenia  Plantation,  mounds  on,  ...  35 

Arrowhead  of  unusual  shape,  . . . .70 

Arrowheads,  distribution  of  types,  . 57,  70 

Arrowheads,  or  spear  heads,  12,  10,  19,  25,  31,  32,  38, 
43,  44,  40,  51,  50,  57,  59,  61,  66,  69,  70,  76,  77, 
78,  79,  81,  83,  85,  91,  93 

Arrowheads  with  single  shoulder  or  barb,  . 25,  70 

Astragalus  of  deer,  with  burial,  ....  38 

Atchafalava  river,  its  course,  ....  9 


Bayou  D’Arbonne,. 

Bayou  Grosse  Tete,  mounds  on, 
Bayou  La  Rose,  mounds  on, 

Bayou  Magon, 

Bayou  Teche,  . 

Bead,  discoidal,  of  shell, 

Bead  of  granite, 

Bead  of  jasper,  of  unusual  size, 

Bead  of  red  jasper, 

Bicave  ear-plug  of  earthenware, 
Bicave  stones, . 

Bone  implements,  . 

Bones,  pathological,  sent  to  Army 
Museum,  . 

Bonnet  Bayou,  mounds  on, 
Bottle-form,  rare  in  region, 

Brannin  Place,  mound  on, 

Brooks  Landing,  site  near, 

Bunched  burials,  paucity 


06, 


22,  25,  44, 
15,  87, 
Medical 
. 13, 


76 

17 

17 

42 

19 

32 

17 

72 

70 

23 

78 

91 


87 
12 

48,  52,  81,  90 
. 40 

. 92 


of  artifacts  with, 


Dean  Lake,  mound  on, 44 

Decoration,  incised,  on  pottery,  13,  16,  24,  25,  30, 
40,  48,  51,  63,  66,  81,  83,  84,  90,  91 
Decoration,  incised,  with  red  pigment  filling,  . 90 

Decoration,  polychrome,  on  pottery,  . . . 52 

Decoration  of  trailed  lines,  on  pottery,  38,  83,  88,  91 
Decoration,  red  pigment,  on  pottery, . . 15,81 

Decoration,  stamped,  on  pottery,  . 11,  13,  15 

Deer,  jaw-bone  of,  fragmentary,  with  burial,  . 87 

Deer,  scapulae  of,  tools  made  from,  ...  87 

Deer,  ulnae  of,  tools  made  from,  . . . .91 

Deposits  of  bones,  great,  . . . . 14, 22 

Discoidal  bead  of  shell, 32 

Disk,  pitted,  of  ferruginous  sandstone,  . . 42 

Drill  of  flint, 44 

Dwelling-sites  underlying  burials,  24,  40,  41,  51,  59 

Ear-plug  of  earthenware, 23 

Ear-plugs  of  claystone, 46 

Earthenware  effigy-pipe, 22 

Earthenware  figurine, 72 

Earthenware  objects  of  new  tvpe,  12.  15,  16,  43,  61, 
70,  72,  73,  74 

Earthenware  supports  for  vessels,  . . .60 

Effigv-pipe  of  earthenware, 22 

Effigy-pipe  of  limestone, 66 

Effigy-pipe  of  sandstone, 88 

Effigy-vessel  of  earthenware,  ....  32 

Figurine  of  earthenware,  . . . .72 

Flint  implements  from  Poverty  Point,  . . 70 

Flynn  Place,  mound  on, 35 

Fool  river,  mound  at, 39 


discussed, . 

Burial  customs  discussed, 

Burial  of  incomplete  skeletons, 
Burials  uniformly  with  head  to  south, 


14,  22,  30, 
11,  15,  50, 


Canebrake  mounds, 

Celts,  . . 13,  24,  38,  54,  58,  59,  69,  70,  83,  84, 

Ceremonial  killing  of  vessels,  22.  23,  24,  25,  26, 
28,  30,  31,  32 

Ceremonial  lancehead  of  sandstone, 

Chalcedony,  charm-stone  of, 

Charm-stone  made  from  a pebble, 

Charm-stone  of  chalcedony, . 

Chitimacha,  reburial  practised  by,  14 

Clay  objects  hitherto  undescribed,  12,  15,  16,  43, 
/ 0,  / 2,  73,  / 4 

Crania,  few,  found  in  condition  to  preserve, 
Cross  Bayou  Landing,  mounds  near,  . 

Cross,  mounds  forming, 

Crowroot  Place,  mound  on, 

Culin,  Stewart,  as  to  clay  objects  hitherto  un- 
described,   

Cut-off  Landing,  mounds  near,  .... 


30 

40 

54 

87 

49 

88 
27, 

26 

76 

32 

76 

30 

61, 

9 

18 

37 

63 

74 

45 


Galena,  .... 

Gee  Landing,  site  near,. 
Glenk,  Robert,  B.S.,  Ph.C  , 
Godfrey’s  Landing,  site  neai 
Goulett  Island,  site  on,. 
Grand  Lake,  mounds  on, 
Granite,  bead  of,  . 

Gravel,  so-called,  . 

Gravel  tempering  of  pottery, 


Hampton  Landing,  site  at,  . 

Hand-game,  objects  probably  used  in, 
Hatchets  of  stone,  .... 

Hedgeland  Place,  mounds  on, 

Hematite,  balls  of,  . 

Hematite,  deposits  of,  for  pigment, 

Hematite  “ plummets,  ” . . . 66, 

Ifickingbottom  Place,  mounds  on, 

Hodge,  F.  W., 

Holmes,  Prof.  \V.  1L,  as  to  clay  pellets  used  in 

slings, 

Holmes,  Prof.  W.  H.,  as  to  westernmost  occur- 
rence of  stamped  decoration  on  pottery,  . 


70, 


0, 


3, 


59 

85 

72 
83 
81 
19 
17 

73 
24 

85 

74 
32 
38 
72 
24 
76 
45 

9 

74 

11 


100 


INDEX. 


101 


Hones, 38,  54 

Hopeka  Plantation, 43 

Hope  Landing,  mounds  near,  ....  58 

Hrdlicka,  Dr.  Ales, 9,  14,  95 

Hrdlicka,  Dr.  Ales,  report  on  crania  and  bones 
from  Sorrel  Bayou, 94 

Indian  Bayou,  mounds  near,  ....  40 

Indian  Village  Place,  mound  on,  ....  34 

Insley  Place,  mounds  on, 60 

Introduction, 7 

Jackson  Place,  mounds  on, 64 

Jasper  bead  of  unusual  size, 72 

Jasper,  red,  bead  of, 66,  70 

Johnson  Landing,  site  near, 78 

Kaolin  (white  pigment), 22 

Keeley,  F.  J 9 

Keller,  Dr.  H.  F., 9,  16 

“Killing,”  ceremonial,  of  vessels,  22,  23,  24,  25,  26, 
27,  28,  30,  31,  32 

Knife  of  chert, 15,  83 

Knife  of  flint 24,  57,  83 

Knives,  . . 15,  24,  25,  46,  57,  69,  70,  81,  83,  91 

Lake  La  Rose,  mounds  on, 16 

Lake  Larto, 21 

Lake  Place,  mounds  on, 61 

Lake  Verret,  mounds  on, 10 

Lancehead,  ceremonial,  of  sandstone, ...  26 

Lee  Place,  mounds  on, 39 

Little  Pigeon  Bayou, 13 

Lockett,  Prof.  Samuel  H.,  as  to  sites  on  Poverty 
Point  and  the  Motley  Place,.  . 66,  69,  70 

Loreauville,  mounds  at, 21 

Lower  Jackson  Landing,  mound  near,  . . 63 

Lowrie  Landing,  site  near, 85 

Lucas,  Prof.  F.  A., 9,  14 

Map  of  Atchafalaya  river, 8 

Map  of  Bayou  D’Arbonne, 77 

Map  of  Bayou  Magon 33 

Map  of  Lake  Larto, 20 

Map  of  part  of  Saline  river, 80 

Map  of  region  investigated, 6 

Map  of  Tensas  river, 33 

Mayes,  Miss  Josie  S., 21 

Mayes  mounds, 21 

Melville,  mounds  near, 18 

Middenheap  composition  of  mounds,  .11,  12,  14,  15 

Miller,  Dr.  M.  G., 9,  67 

Miller  Place,  mound  on, 10 

Montgomery  Place,  mounds  on,  . . . .58 

Moro  Plantation, 19 

Mortuarv  perforation  of  bases  of  vessels,  22,  24,  25, 
26,  27,  28,  30,  31,  32 

Moore’s  Mill,  site  near, 83 

Motley  Place,  site  on, 66 

Mott  Place,  mounds  on, 54 

Mound  Bayou  Place,  mound  on, . . .39 

Mound,  great,  on  Poverty  Point,  ...  67 

Mound,  great,  on  the  Motley  Place,  . .75 

Mound  Place, 61 

McGuire,  Joseph  D.,  his  exhaustive  work  on 
pipes, 90 


Objects  of  clay,  hitherto  undescribed,  12,  15,  16,  43, 

61,  70,  72,  73,  74 

Ochre,  yellow, 22,  25,  27 

Orientation  of  mounds,  34,  36,  41,  46,  55,  58,  61, 

62,  64,  78 

Otter,  penis-bone  of, 14 

Ouchley  Place,  site  on, 77 

Oxide,  red,  of  iron, 85 


Pathological  specimens, 13,  87 

Pebble,  faceted, 42 

Pebbles,  from  rattles, 24,  81 

Pebbles,  pottery  polishers, 30 

Penis-bone  of  Otter, 14 

Perforation,  mortuary,  of  bases  of  vessels,  22,  24,  25, 
26,  27,  28,  30,  31,  32 

Pigeon  Bayou,  mound  opposite,  ....  16 

Pigment, 22,  24,  25,  27,  85 

Pigment  coating  on  pottery, ...  15,  63,  38 

Pigment,  red,  filling  in  line  decoration,  . 90 

Pilsbry,  Dr.  H.  A., 9,  85 

Pipe,  effigy-,  of  earthenware,  ....  22 

Pipe,  effigy-,  of  limestone, 66 

Pipe,  effigy-,  of  sandstone, 88 

Pipe,  “monitor,” 51 

Pipe  of  limestone, 51 

Pipe  of  sandstone,  large,  decorated,  . . .26 

Pipes,  . . 22,  24,  25,  26,  29,  32,  46,  51,  66,  88 

Pipes,  bi-conical,  . . .26,  29,  32,  46,  51,  89 

Pipes  of  earthenware,  22,  24,  25,  26,  29,  32,  46,  51 

Pit  burial,  . . 14,  22,  23.  24,  25,  26,  27,  28 

Plan  of  great  mound  on  Poverty  Point,  . . 68 

Plan  of  mounds  on  Alphenia  Plantation,  . . 36 

Plan  of  mounds  on  Jackson  Place,  . .65 

“Plummets”  of  hematite,  . 66,70,72,74,76 

Polishing  of  pottery, 30 

Polychrome  decoration  on  pottery,  ...  52 

Pottery,  characteristics  of,  discussed, . 48,81 

Pottery  seemingly  not  used  at  Poverty  Point,  70 
Pottery  stamp-decorated,  . . . 11,  13,  15 

Poverty  Point,  site  on, 66 

Purple  pigment, 24 


Raybon,  Capt.  J.  S.,  . . -7, 9,  10,  21 

Reburial, 14,  23,  30 

Red  paint  on  sherds,  . 15,  16,  21,  38,  40,  63,  S4 

Report  by  Doctor  Hrdlicka,  on  crania  from 

Sorrel  Bayou,  La., 95 

Reworking  of  arrowpoint, 70 

Richardson  Place,  mounds  on,  ....  63 

Ruggs  Bluff,  site  near, 78 


Saline  river, 

Sandstone,  ferruginous,  slab  of,  . 
Sandstone,  ferruginous,  pitted  disk  of, 
Schwing  Place,  mound  near, 


Scott  Place,  site  on, 78 

“Shell  banks,” 12,19 

Shell  bead,  discoidal, 32 

Sorrel  Bayou,  mound  on, 13 

Stamped  decoration  on  pottery,  . . 11,13,15 

Stevens  Place,  mounds  on, 60 

Supports  for  vessels,  earthenware,  . 60 

Sutton  Ferry,  site  near, 93 

Swanton,  Dr.  John  R.,  quoted,  ...  14 


102 


INDEX. 


Tempering  of  pottery,  . 
Temple-site,  mound  probably  a,  . 

Tensas  river, 

Territory  investigated,  . 

Tools  made  from  deer  scapulae, 
Tubular  bead  of  granite, 

Tubular  beads  of  jasper, 

Turkey  Bluff,  site  near, . 

Turkey  Point,  mounds  near, 

Wardle,  H.  Newell, 


. 24,  48 

. 75 

. 32 

7 

. . 87 

. 17 

66,  70,  72 

. . 78 

. . 46 


Weir,  S.  G., 

Wherry  Landing,  mound  near,  . 
Wilbert  Property,  mounds  on,  . 
W ilbert’s  Song,  Messrs.  A.,  . 
Wildwood  Landing,  mound  near, 
Wiley  Place, 


Willoughby,  Charles  C.,  as  to  objects  of  clay, 


. 9 

. 87 
. 17 

13,  15 
. 34 

31 


hitherto  undescribed, 

V.  ire  Fence  Landing,  site  near. 


73,  74 
91 


9 


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of  20  per  cent,  on  the  prices  charged  to  the  public. 

Apply  to  Edward  J.  Nolan,  M.D.,  at  the  Hall  of  the  Academy,  Logan  Square. 

.4m<7«s<,  1918. 


CONTENTS 

• 

Moore,  Clarence  B.  Some  Aboriginal  Sites  in  Louisiana  and  in  Arkansas. 
(Atcliafalaya  River,  Lake  Larto,  Luisas  River,  Bayou  Magon,  Bayou 
D’Arbonne,  in  Louisiana;  Saline  River,  in  Arkansas.) 

Hrdlicka,  A.  A Report  on  a Collection  of  Crania  and  Bones  from  Sorrel 
Bayou,  Iberville  Parish,  Louisiana 

* Extra  Copies  printed  for  the  author  September  6,  1913. 
f Extra  copies  printed  for  the  author  September  6,  1913. 


